I'd Come For You
by Rinnesuke
Summary: Yamamoto has a past in Ikebukuro that he has been running away from. When the Vongola are needed to stop the war between the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars, he is forced to fight the embodiment of his past, Sonohara Anri. How do you kill the one you love?
1. Catena I

**Title: **I'd Come For You.

**Summary: **Yamamoto has a past in Ikebukuro that he has been running away from. When the Vongola are needed to stop the war between the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars, he is forced to fight the embodiment of his past, Sonohara Anri. How do you kill the one you love?

**Rating: **T

**Warnings: **Angst, psychological, dark

**Pairings: **Yamamoto/Anri

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Durarara! or Katekyo Hitman Reborn! but I do own my ideas.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"_We're going to Ikebukuro."_

Silence pierced through the very small and messy bedroom. All nine occupants froze, stunned in to quiet. Yellow birds chirped and whistled outside the dusty window. Bicycles cruised by. People went on with their daily lives, oblivious to the stupefaction the middle school kids in that one room were feeling. Thereupon, chaos broke out. It was truly the quiet before the storm.

"Hiiiiiiiiiieee!" The one and only 'Dame-Tsuna' shrieked, backpedalling in to his bed frame.

The sudden jerking of the bed caused the great 'Lambo-sama' to fall off, face-first in to the cold floor.

Bull horns trembled as the little kid sobbed, "G-Gotta… keep… keep… it… keep it in…"

"Infant, I did not agree to such a trip," Namimori Middle Discipline Committee Leader, Hibari Kyoya shifted in to a guarded stance, his hands on his metal tonfas.

'Smoking Bomb' Gokudera Hayato gritted his teeth, his eyebrow twitching as he yelled, "Stupid cow, shut up! You're disturbing the Tenth!"

"Group trip _to the extreme_!" Sasagawa Ryohei pumped a bandaged fist in to the air, barely missing the ceiling.

Basil simply smiled pleasantly, and remained at his spot in the corner of Tsuna's room. Chrome Dokuro chewed on her full bottom lip, her violet eyes flickering worriedly.

The Sun Arcobaleno Reborn twitched, immediately transformed his trusty chameleon in to a huge green hammer, bringing it straight down on Tsuna's tear-streaked face.

Yamamoto Takeshi chuckled, albeit a bit weakly. No one noticed the flash of nostalgia that glimmered in his chocolate-brown eyes.

"Shut up and listen to what I have to say, Dame-Tsuna!" Reborn ordered sternly.

After fifteen minutes of arguing and difficulties, the bedroom looked like a tornado had been through it. The chair was beyond crooked and bed sheets were crumpled on the floor. Quiet reigned over the normal-looking, or maybe not so, house. Let's just say that this peace wouldn't last for long.

Reborn settled back in to his seat on Tsuna's wooden desk, with his arms firmly crossed and irritation darkening his face.

"As I was going to say, we—meaning Dame-Tsuna, all his Guardians and me—are going to Ikebukuro for the extent of the summer holidays on the orders of the Ninth. Basil will be our guide and also Vongola Headquarter's way of passing on any change in orders," Reborn told them, speaking slowly as if he thought they were possibly mentally retarded.

Well, he probably did.

Tsuna was the first to protest, "B-But-! Ikebukuro is a bit-! I have summer homework! I'm _definitely _not going!"

"You have no choice, idiot," Reborn informed him, accentuating each word with a kick to Tsuna's face.

Hibari narrowed his eyes dangerously, "I will not leave Namimori."

"You will have the chance to fight many strong people, all of which might pose future threats to Namimori, Hibari," Reborn bribed—ahem, proposed with a grin.

Hibari measured this thought silently for a moment before smirking, showing his approval. His tonfas disappeared from sight as the raven-haired male leaned back against a wall, as far away as possible from the crowd.

At this, Tsuna gaped. The biggest obstacle to this 'trip' was now gone. His chance of escaping this was near to zero now.

Gokudera replied earnestly, "I will go to protect the Tenth! Worry not, I shall not fail in my mission!"

"Ahaha, if you want Lambo-sama's help, you will have to beg, you know!~" The five-year-old child picked his nose with arrogance. "I guess I can't help it. Lambo-sama will go to save crybaby Tsuna. Be happy!"

Ryohei simply repeated, "Group trip _to the extreme_!"

He coupled this with a few strong punches to the air that almost hit Gokudera. This caused a small (read: huge) riot involving shouts of 'turf-top' and 'octopus-head'.

Chrome tilted her head, blinking innocently, "Boss. I will go. Mukuro-sama says that this 'trip' might turn out to be interesting so…"

What happened next was completely unexpected. Yamamoto did not reply with a 'maa, maa' and smile brightly.

Instead, with a nervous expression, he addressed Reborn, "Ah, sorry, but can I get a 'pass' from this?"

Everybody was suddenly stunned in to silence. Yamamoto fidgeted a bit, running a hand through his short black hair.

"What's wrong, Yamamoto?" Reborn questioned with a slight frown.

A strained smile, one you never expected to see on Yamamoto's face, answered them, "It's just that… that place holds… How do you say this?"

"Ikebukuro…" Yamamoto pushed out the five syllables with trouble, "It holds bad memories for me."

Reborn assessed the tall baseball player carefully. He had heard that Yamamoto had been staying in Ikebukuro for a period of time before. Could this hesitancy have something to do with that?

Gokudera broke the tension with a snarl, "Oi, baseball-idiot, don't give me crap. If you don't go, you'll be spoiling this for the Tenth."

"Gokudera-kun-!" Tsuna hurried to interrupt, wary of Yamamoto's feelings.

The pain on Yamamoto's face was plastered over quickly with a fake smile, "You're right, Gokudera. We don't want Tsuna to be upset, huh? I'll go."

"Yamamoto-dono…" Basil murmured, stepping forward.

Hibari watched with suspicious eyes and Chrome simply stared emotionlessly. Even Ryohei didn't speak in this moment of gloom.

Reborn reluctantly turned away from this new, strange Yamamoto to explain the purpose of this 'trip'.

"All of you should know that the Vongola have control over many famiglias, right? Like the Cavallone famiglia. Well, not all of these famiglias reside in Italy. There are three famiglias, or as they are better known as, colour gangs, in Ikebukuro. The Blue Sqaures have been recently more or less wiped in a war with the Yellow Scarves. However, there is now an upcoming war between the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars—"

Ryohei interrupted with a disbelieving tone, "Blue Squares? Yellow Scarves? _Dollars_? Those are weird names to the extreme!"

"Turf-top! Don't cut off Reborn-san!" Gokudera scolded roughly.

Ryohei jumped forth, "What's your problem, octopus-head?"

Lambo muttered in his sleep. Actually, when exactly did he fall asleep in the first place?

"Sasagawa-dono, the Blue Squares and Yellow Scarves are named such because of they are _colour _gangs," Basil raised a finger in explanation. "As for the Dollars, it is said that although they are a colour gang, no one knows what colour they are. Therefore, most people say that they are colourless. I heard that they basically do nothing, going 'dara dara' all the time, and so were named 'daras', or 'Dollars'."

Ryohei's face screwed up in concentration, "Eh? I extremely do not get it!"

Tsuna's eyes also sported the same swirls.

Before chaos could ensue, Reborn fired a warning shot off his gun, "You guys, be quiet so I can continue."

"As I was saying, the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars will be going to war over certain 'Slasher' incidents. The 'Slasher' seems to be another driving force in Ikebukuro. The details are uncertain but by order of the Ninth," Reborn held up the parchment that sported a small flame at the top, "We need to stop this war."

"Hiiiieee!" Tsuna curled up at the mention of 'stopping a war'.

The noise level increased at an amazing rate after that, while fights started in the Sawada household. Hibari stormed out of the house, destruction in his wake. Chrome left quietly, comparable to a ghost. Basil took over Yamamoto's place as a peacemaker. Talking about Yamamoto, he seemed to be lost in his thoughts the entire time.

_"Anri!"_

_The young girl in question jumped at the sound of her name. Her choppily-cut locks brushed against her high cheekbones when she turned, smiling shyly at the young boy. Yamamoto grinned easily, walking up to her._

_They chattered at a little corner on the elementary school's rooftop. Other cliques munched on their lunch at their own corners._

"_As I thought, it's you, Anri. Where's Mika?" Yamamoto asked._

_Anri fingered her round glasses softly, "She's meeting up with some classmates so I left since I would only be in the way."_

"_Oh, were those 'classmates' Rikka and her group?" Yamamoto guessed._

_At Anri's affirmative nod, he added, "They're quite popular, aren't they?"_

_The two basked in each other's tranquility and the sweet smell of sakura that the breeze carried. Anri typed nimbly and quickly in to her plain silver cell phone, while Yamamoto slurped at his strawberry milk. Abruptly, a multicoloured burst of light exploded in the cloudless sky. The duo twitched at the sudden sound, spinning wildly to face the sight._

_"P-Pretty..." Anri whispered in awe._

_Their schoolmates hurried to push themselves against the fence that separated the rooftop from pure nothingness. Light whispering broke out among the amazed students._

_Yamamoto blinked in surprise, "Those are... _fireworks_, right?"_

_"I heard that Raira Academy's having their cultural festival today," Anri informed him with a sweet smile._

_Instantaneously, a light bulb flashed above Yamamoto's little head, warning others of possibly reckless ideas. He latched on to Anri's wrist and together they propelled themselves across the rooftop and down the stairs._

_"Wha—Yamamoto-kun? Please wait!" Anri stuttered, stumbling after her male counterpart._

_Yamamoto grinned, "There's still time before lunch ends! Let's go to Raira and see the fireworks firsthand!"_

_The two elementary school kids dashed out the school gates and down the street, ignoring the shouts of some adults who noticed them. Cars zoomed by and people continued with their own routines but the two children just raced towards Raira, following the beautiful lights. Their small forms were quickly lost in the crowd at Raira's parade square._

_They were just two kids watching the fireworks. Two kids being reckless. Two kids have fun. Two kids that were _happy_._

Yamamoto tore himself out of the flashback. He was different now, more mature. He couldn't go back to those old times anymore. He wouldn't put Anri through danger anymore.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

I was supposed to be doing my homework. Damn.

Inspiration came from here: http : / / youtu. be /ABLkl8HT6Zk

R&R?

-Rin-


	2. Catena II

"I'm going to Ikebukuro."

Yamamoto Tsuyoshi paused in his brutal slicing of tuna, his knife just a few centimeters over the smooth flesh. Only a few customers remained at this time, and they mostly kept to themselves. The round, white clock ticked in the background noise, displaying the proud time of 8.46pm. The serenity in the sushi shop was disrupted by the unspoken coldness between father and son. Determinately, Tsuyoshi carefully rested his knife upon the slick cutting board.

His serious mood was reflected in his wizened eyes, "You are going to Ikebukuro."

Takeshi gave a barely noticeable bob of his head, but his father caught it. There was an absence of sound as Tsuyoshi absorbed his son's words.

"My friends need me," Takeshi offered as an explanation.

Tsuyoshi sighed, his wrinkled face set in a vaguely disapproving expression.

"You know that this isn't a good idea."

It wasn't a question and they both knew it.

Tsuyoshi fixed Takeshi with a scrutinizing gaze, "Son, tell me honestly. Do you want to go?"

Takeshi faltered, and that was enough. He didn't want to go. He couldn't bring himself to go. He had run so far away from Ikebukuro, and had stayed away for such a long time already. He didn't need everything to just break down because of _duty. _However, how could he refuse this mission without having to explain everything to his friends?

He internally groaned. It was just one stupid obstacle. He could just refuse this one time and then he wouldn't have to go back _there_. On the other hand, his friends would then _know _that something was wrong. They would suspect that he wasn't really the always laughing, naïve Yamamoto Takeshi he seemed to be.

"A dilemma?" Tsuyoshi smiled empathically.

Takeshi tried to return the smile, but it turned out more like a grimace.

"We both knew that you would have to face the music eventually, Takeshi. It seems like the time has come," Tsuyoshi turned back to the tuna.

Takeshi rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. He was such a coward. As the 1.77 meter male started walking back to his room for some peace, he vaguely heard his father utter something similar to 'good luck'. He would need it if he planned to keep up this farce as long as possible.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

The buzzing sounds of aeroplanes taking off irritated him. Really, it did. What really sparked his fury was the crowd of herbivores in front of him, though. The ridiculous cow was racing around in circles, waving that disgustingly pink lollipop. Sawada Tsunayoshi was chasing after him, tripping and falling wherever he stepped in a totally herbivorous way. The dynamite idiot was, true to his name, terrifying all other herbivores with displays of illegal bombs. The boxing club president was 'warming up' by doing stretches and jogging on the spot. Could he never keep still? The infant… Well, he was nowhere to be found. Perhaps he was hiding in a fire hydrant again? The boomerang herbivore was making arrangements for a private plane and _why was he taking such a hideously long time? _At least the illusionist girl was quiet.

Hibari Kyoya needed real praise for not biting them all to death by now.

Talking about quiet, Yamamoto Takeshi seemed to have regained his energy. He was back to his usual mannerisms, calming Gokudera Hayato down with that dumb smile on his face. Nothing seemed amiss. Was he truly hiding a darker side? Hibari honestly couldn't tell at the moment. Well, not that it mattered. The weak would be bitten to death and that was all there was to it.

After an extended period of time that stretched Hibari's patience, they finally boarded the aeroplane. Hibari was glad that he need not sit in a crowd, simply because they were the Vongola and were entitled to a private jet. Hibari treasured his personal space, thank you. He settled himself in to a secluded corner and promptly fell asleep.

If any retarded herbivores woke him up, there would be hell to pay.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

They were in Ikebukuro! The city of unexplainable beauty and mysteries! Gokudera heard that many UMAs came from this very city. He was happy to be able to bring the Tenth to such a place. Gokudera had heard of the Headless Rider, who drove a black motorcycle without headlights and made horse whinnies. He had also heard of a man with beastly strength, who strangely wore a butler uniform all the time. Surely they were UMAs!

"Tenth! Allow me to help!" Gokudera eagerly reached for Tsuna's luggage.

The weights of the three bags were nothing compared to the excitement he felt. Of course, there was danger in this dark city as well. It was never good if one city held too many UMAs. The supernatural power seemed to rub off on the city and many fights broke out. The fact that the Vongola famiglia was needed to intervene was evidence in itself. The Yellow Scarves… From what he heard, they were violent and rash. A normal gang, but you could never be too cautious. He also found the disappearance of the Blue Squares a tad too suspicious. Their dying-out was too quick, too smooth.

Nevertheless, it was all these facts that interested him! He would certainly prove himself a worthy right hand man to the Tenth in this war. So why did the stupid cow, turf-top, illusionist girl, baseball-idiot and Hibari have to come? He was enough to stop the damn war! The Tenth only needed him!

The baseball-idiot didn't seem fit to even come on this mission. He had seemed too out of it yesterday. 'Ikebukuro held bad memories for him', he said. Gokudera didn't know that the baseball-idiot had been to Ikebukuro before. He never once mentioned it. What was he hiding? Gokudera knew. He knew from experience that people hid dark secrets, even the most unexpected people. He just didn't think it would be the baseball-idiot.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Chrome patted the side of her head and fluffed up the little ponytail at the back. This was the first time she traveled. Before, she had always been confined to her home and later, the hospital bed. Subsequently, Mukuro-sama gave her a new life and name. She could feel the thread of connection between Mukuro-sama and herself, his existence flittering along the edges of her mind.

Ikebukuro was very different from Namimori. Chrome felt like she could be attacked any moment, or that an oddity might make its appearance any time. In Namimori, she could smile at the happiness the daily lives there emitted. She had to be on her guard in Ikebukuro.

"_This 'trip', as the infant so pretentiously calls it, might turn out to be quite interesting…" _ Mukuro-sama had said.

Chrome glanced at her self-proclaimed 'friends'. They managed to argue over even the plain matter of checking in to a hotel. Room arrangements and dropping off luggage seemed so difficult with this group. A bubbly giggle inched its way up her throat. She hoped that they always stayed the same way—good-natured, bonded and _happy_.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Tsuna hesitantly shifted his gaze to Yamamoto. When Yamamoto just continued in his attempt to detach Lambo from Ryohei's head, Tsuna smiled. _That's good. Yamamoto seems back to normal. _

Ikebukuro, huh? Tsuna blinked as he observed his surroundings. Fragile-looking skyscrapers, confusing traffic signs, dirty streets and busy roads. It was a typical city. A sharp pain assaulted his brain when Reborn hit his head (and seriously, when did he get up there?) for dazing out.

"Reborn!" Tsuna frowned, rubbing at the bump on his scalp.

Reborn simply smirked, "That's for all your trouble of blanking out."

"I was not, I repeat, not blanking out! I was actually thinking, Reborn," Tsuna haughtily told his home tutor.

The Arcobaleno raised a thin eyebrow, "I didn't you could _think_, Dame-Tsuna."

"Reborn!" The Vongola Decimo whined.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Yamamoto could feel it. Everybody had shot fleeting looks at him the whole time. The hope that maybe they had forgotten his slightly out of character scene yesterday diminished. He internally sighed. He didn't want anything to change between them.

Putting aside uncontrollable matters, he could hardly believe it. He was really back in Ikebukuro. The city of wonders and mysteries. Everything looked so new. Was the Russian Sushi still in the same place? What was Shizuo-senpai doing now? Did he still want to kill Izaya-senpai? Was Shinra-senpai still together with Celty? What about his mother?

How about Anri?

"_I'm sorry, Yamamoto-kun. I'm so sorry, Yamamoto-kun."_

Yamamoto shook his head. No. He would not think about the past.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Basil watched with warm eyes as this weird group, so obviously all in their own thoughts, went on their way to meet the information dealer, Orihara Izaya.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

Yes, they are going to meet Izaya! –tonfa'd-

Ahem, anyway. I think this chapter is better than the first :\ Two chapters in one day. Yay! Hopefully, I won't drop this story anytime soon.

R&R?

-Rin-


	3. Catena III

_My head hurts. _Yamamoto sighed as he threw himself on the neat hotel bed. Coming to Ikebukuro had left him throbbing with memories. All the happy and fun times he had experienced made that _one _memory stand out in stark difference._ Ah, it hurts. _ The peacefulness in that single room blanketed around him, allowing him to clear his mind for a while.

"_We both knew that you would have to face the music eventually, Takeshi. It seems like the time has come."_

It was a double bullseye there. To be honest, he really wanted to meet Anri. Had she coped okay? Did she still remember him? What if she didn't remember him? Just how much had Ikebukuro changed?

_Damn it all. _

"Yamamoto?" Tsuna's voice cut through the quietude.

Yamamoto instinctively pasted a poker smile on his face, "Yeah, Tsuna?"

"Have you unpacked all your stuff?" Tsuna's innocent caramel orbs revealed how relieved he was that Yamamoto was still the usual Yamamoto.

A slight feeling of irony shoved at his heart.

"Well, more or less. Why?" Yamamoto chuckled, glancing at his untouched grey luggage bag.

Tsuna smiled knowingly, "Reborn said that we're going to meet one of Vongola's acquaintances, an information dealer."

"Information dealer?" Yamamoto raised an eyebrow.

That sort of job sounded like it would fit a certain someone too well…

Tsuna nodded, puffing out one cheek in a show of irritation, "Yeah, doesn't that sort of guy sound dangerous? Why can't Reborn go by himself?"

"Maa, maa, he should be a fun guy if he's also playing this mafia game, right?" Yamamoto waved him off.

Tsuna's expression fell in to one of disbelief at the fact that Yamamoto could still think that this was still a _game _before he covered it up with a weak smile. Yamamoto laughed—Tsuna had always been like an open book.

Still… That 'information dealer' couldn't be…

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"You see, I'm actually here to meet someone," Orihara Izaya smiled.

Ryuugamine Mikado was temporarily derailed, and he blinked in confusion. In that moment of bleariness, an everyday convenience store trash can decided to make its appearance by spinning over. More specifically, it decided to do a very dangerous airborne stunt that it was not made for. This caused rubbish to fly out and nearly hit innocent civilians, or more importantly, its actual target.

Kida Masaomi winced, "This isn't good…"

Izaya smirked, even as the impact of the trash can smacked him in the face. His brain was seriously used to getting concussions by now. Ikebukuro will never cease to amuse him.

"I-za-ya-kun~" A low voice growled.

Our well-known bartender-wearing male stepped closer, a mocking sneer on his face. His blond hair fell over his violet-tinted sunglasses, hiding his eyes from view and highlighting his strong jaw. His movements were casual, yet rough.

"Didn't I tell you never to come to Ikebukuro again, Izaya-kun?" Heiwajima Shizuo, a man who contradicted his very name, tucked his sunglasses in to his breast pocket.

Izaya sweat-dropped, "Shizu-chan…"

As fun as playing with Shizu-chan was, he couldn't afford to keep this client waiting.

"There he is!" A sudden shriek interrupted the start of their little spars.

A gang rushed towards them, waving wooden bats and other temporary weapons. The man Izaya had so clearly humiliated earlier was now sporting a purple hat.

He snarled, "Don't you know what happens when you fool around with the Dollars?"

Izaya almost laughed at their pathetic reactions. This was why he loved humans. They were always so strange in their expressions and feelings.

"Wait, was he supposed to be wearing bartender clothes?" A bald gangster peered questioningly.

The first guy frowned, "He wasn't there before…"

"Heiwajima Shizuo…?" Another stepped back in horror.

Subsequently, a huge scene broke out, involving lots of blood and flying naked idiots.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Reborn took a second glance when he saw the daily objects dancing in the sky. Street signs, vending machines, trash cans… and wait, _people_?

"Hiiiieee! What's going on?" Tsuna freaked out.

Lambo giggled, pointing at the hilarious sight. Chrome, more than terrified, stepped closer to Hibari. Hibari growled at the 'disruption of peace'.

Ryohei punched a fist in to the air, "It's a fight _to the extreme_!"

"We should stop them, Reborn-san!" Basil said worriedly.

Yamamoto muttered, "Don't bother…"

"We need to get the Tenth to safety!" Gokudera shouted.

Swiftly, Hibari decided to intervene, spoiling their plans of running away. He took off towards the scene, his tonfas held tightly.

"Hibari!" Yamamoto called.

_This is bad… _He thought as the group started chasing after their Cloud Guardian.

Hibari leaped in between Shizuo and Izaya, denting the incoming vending machine with a steel tonfa. Silence greeted this scene. A rumble started to Shizuo's throat at this interruption, furious at the fact that Izaya was in fact, getting away!

"Hey," Hibari stopped Shizuo's rampage with his soft voice.

Shizuo turned a violent face towards him, ignoring the blood that streaked it, "What?"

"Are you weak? Or are you strong?" He smiled slyly.

Shizuo gritted his teeth. _Who the hell cares about that? _He thought as he wrenched a door from its car.

"I said, _wait_! Shizuo-senpai!"

Yamamoto's desperate voice cut off his movements. Everybody present stared at the strange sight. Yamamoto skidded until he stood in front of the monster-like male who was in fact, wielding a very heavy iron door. The gangsters from earlier littered the floor like ants. The golden trio stood more or less paralyzed at a corner, invisible to everybody. The Vongola were panting behind Yamamoto, winded with the effort of running so fast. Izaya stood chuckling at the unexpected turn of events.

Shizuo responded in a monotonous voice, "Yamamoto?"

"Put down that door first, Shizuo-senpai!" Yamamoto attempted to calm him down.

Shizuo followed the instruction, "You came back, huh, Yamamoto?"

"Something like that. I'm with my friends," Yamamoto gestured vaguely.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Anri couldn't believe her eyes. Yamamoto was here. He was so much taller now, and his hair was a bit shorter. His smile was still as bright as ever, although a bit more fake now. He still seemed as oblivious and reckless as ever, but always the mediator.

Did he remember, she wonders?

"_Anri?"_

_She jolted, hitting her head lightly against the tree trunk. Wincing, she fluffed a hand through her hair. Yamamoto chortled, jogging over to her spot under an old willow tree._

"_I didn't know that you were here!" Yamamoto patted her head._

_Anri caught his gaze with a smile, "Ah, Yamamoto-kun."_

"_Let's go take some photos! My uncle brought out his new camera!" Yamamoto tugged at her slim arm insistently._

_Anri took a step back, "No, it's fine."_

"_Anri!" Yamamoto pouted._

She shook her head, clearing her mind. Where had that flashback come from?

"Yamamoto-kun…" She whispered.

Yamamoto jumped, startled by that oh-so-familiar female voice. His searching eyes found her, catching her identical gaze with his.

"Anri…"

Kida broke through the moment with his energetic sound, "Now! Mikado!"

The boy in question grabbed on to her hand and tugged her away, away from the dangerous scene and away from Yamamoto.

Yamamoto chewed his lip in disappointment, "Anri…"

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"I _really _ didn't expect to meet you under such circumstances, Vongola Decimo," Izaya beamed.

Tsuna stared blankly at the hand offered to him.

The pale man licked his lips, "My name is Orihara Izaya, and I'm an information dealer."

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

Did you know that Shizuo's name translates in to 'serene man' and 'peaceful island' respectively? That's what I meant when I said that he contradicted his very name (:

Also, I forgot to mention this before but the chapters are named 'catena', which means 'chain' in Italian ^_^

I actually have a lot to say in author's notes, but I usually forget by the time I write the whole chapter, haha. Lucky for all those who bother reading this.

You know what I'm going to say: R&R?

-Rin-


	4. Catena IV

"Kyaa, Takketan!"

The hyper young woman in a lengthy black dress hopped up to Yamamoto, smoldering him a hug. The youth nearly toppled backwards with the sudden weight, but somehow managed to stay upright and glomp Karisawa back.

Yamamoto greeted with a simple, "Yo! Karisawa-san!"

"T-Takketan?" Gokudera looked positively scandalized.

Lambo burst out laughing, "Ne, Takketan! Takketan! Lambo-sama also wants to call you Takketan!"

"Hey, Yamamoto. What 'cha doing back in 'Bukuro?" Kadota Kyohei strolled in to the shop.

Togusa gave a mock salute from behind his friend.

Yumasaki jumped in, "Oh my, Shizuo-san, you're also here?"

The blond bartender nodded his head in acknowledgment, his hand twitching for a cigarette.

"Who're the friends beside you, Takketan?" Karisawa questioned over her junior's towering frame.

Chrome shrunk a bit further in to her seat at the curious gaze, her tousled amethyst locks covering her heart-shaped face.

Yamamoto smiled, "Maa… I'll introduce you guys. Why don't you guys join us for lunch?"

How the Vongola group ended up squished in to a small booth at Russian Sushi is the fruit of the events from earlier…

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Tsuna was stupefied at the sight of the friendly young man in front of him. This was the mysterious information dealer they were supposed to meet? The threatening Mafiosi he had been so wary of?

Let's see: normal black hair, normal black eyes—albeit a bit creepily tinted with red—and normal, commonplace clothes. Was this guy truly part of the underworld?

A well-aimed hammer to Tsuna's head pulled him out of his mulling.

"Dame-Tsuna, looks can be deceiving," Reborn warned him.

Tsuna winced at the throbbing sensation, clawing at the small bump that formed.

"Reborn!" he glared at the baby on his shoulder, "Quit reading my mind!"

Izaya mock pouted, "You're so mean, Reborn-kun. I'm not deceiving cute little Tsunayoshi-kun here."

"I don't believe you," Reborn told him in a cold, straightforward voice.

Yamamoto laughed, speaking up, "Long time no see, Izaya-senpai!"

Izaya fixed his piercing, all-knowing gaze on Yamamoto, a strange match with the commonplace words that exited his mouth, "It's nice to see you again, Yamamoto-kun!"

The younger of the two squirmed uncomfortably, looking away almost immediately. The coat-wearing man smirked.

"I-za-ya!" A roar filled the air.

Hibari narrowed his eyes, readying his tonfas. Basil winced, blaming himself for momentarily forgetting about the 'forte of Ikebukuro'. Izaya laughed, almost as if basking in the danger of being predated on.

He thrust a crumpled slip of paper in to Tsuna's hand, "Tsunayoshi-kun, come to this place with your friends, okay?"

With his always-there smirk on his face, he ran off, a warped metal door sliding after him. The man who threw it growled in frustration. He shot a last look of irritation in the general direction that Izaya went before visibly calming down, leaning his strong frame against a nearby wall.

The Vongola group, which had been stunned in to noiselessness until then broke in to chaos almost immediately.

"Yamamoto! You seem to _extremely_ know this _extreme_ guy! Join the _extreme _boxing club!" Ryohei raved.

Gokudera snarled, whipping out his bombs, "How the hell do you know this messed-up guy, baseball-idiot?"

"Tsuna! Lambo-san is hungry! Tsuna!~" Lambo screeched.

Hibari simply demanded, "Fight me."

Chrome nervously moved a little closer to Basil.

Shizuo just searched in his pocket for his cigarettes, completely ignoring them.

"You…!" Gokudera was clearly pissed.

Yamamoto chuckled, "Maa, maa. Why don't we all go to Russian Sushi and talk?"

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

At a little corner in Russian Sushi, Hibari stared at the exceedingly noisy group in front of him. Why hasn't he just bitten them to death yet?

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

The Kadota gang appears! Karisawa sure has a lot of strange nicknames for all sorts of people: Dotachin (although it was started by Izaya), Iza-Iza, Shizu-chan (although it was started by Izaya), Yumacchi… So I came up with Takketan! If you haven't got it yet, it's Yamamoto.

I'm not that sure about the time frames and such but Yamamoto left Ikebukuro just after elementary school graduation, which was Kida _moved _to Ikebukuro. I think that when Anri and Yamamoto were in elementary school, Izaya, Shizuo, Shinra, Kadota and the rest should be in high school?

Another point is that, does anyone realise that Anri is actually _two years older than Yamamoto_? If I'm not wrong, she should be fifteen turning sixteen in her first year of high school and Yamamoto should be fourteen in his second year of middle school :\ Of course, he could be in his third year but Ryohei is his 'senpai' in middle school so er… I'm pretty confused.

By the way, sorry about the short chapter. I was distracted by Uta no Prince-sama Maji Love 1000% and my homework (which is due tomorrow) u.u

I'll make the next one better!

-Rin-


	5. Catena IV: Parte II

Lambo didn't understand what was going on. All he knew was that they had met some strange new people and that he was hungry.

"Tsuna! Lambo-san is hungry! Don't ignore me, Tsuna!~" he whined.

Karisawa leaned in to take a closer look at the kid.

"… hey," she started in a conspiracy-like whisper, "Little shota-kun, is this perhaps... _your love child with a stranger you met on a street_?"

Tsuna started spluttering, his face turning as red as a tomato. Karisawa obviously meant him, right? He searched wildly for anyone else who could be considered 'shota'… but to no avail.

Lambo blinked. Tsuna? Child? He couldn't really grasp the situation but...

Lambo sniggered, "Lambo-sama is not Dame-Tsuna's baby, you know. Lambo's papa is _really _smart and super cool, you know! Tsuna is an idiot so he can't be Lambo-san's papa!"

"I think shota-kun here would be the _mama_!" Karisawa giggled.

Tsuna nearly had a heart attack when he realised what the implications meant. Gokudera felt humiliated for the Tenth and had joined Tsuna with a blushing face.

Lambo stared. Does that mean that Tsuna is a girl?

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"Anyway~" Yamamoto drawled out.

He gestured with one hand, "These are my friends. Sawada Tsuna, Gokudera Hayato, Hibari Kyoya, Sasagawa Ryohei-senpai, Chrome Dokuro, Basil, Lambo and Reborn.

The Vongola group smiled and waved. Well, except for Hibari, who was fuming in a corner, and Lambo, who was throwing a tantrum.

Yamamoto turned to the Kadota gang, "And here stands Kadota Kyohei-senpai, Togusa Saburo-san, Karisawa Erika-san, Yumasaki Walker-san and as you probably know, Heiwajima Shizuo-senpai!"

Everybody gave their enthusiastic hellos before starting up with small talk. Karisawa had too much fun terrorising Tsuna, Gokudera was overwhelming Togusa with information about UMAs and Yumasaki was informing Chrome about how moe she was. Reborn and Basil chatted up Simon when he came over to serve them with strange, unknown types of sushi. Who knew that banana sushi could taste nice?

Hibari took one look at the ice-cream sushi and left. Lambo occupied himself with stealing everybody else's lunch. This left Yamamoto, Shizuo and Kadota alone.

"So, how's life in Namimori?" Shizuo asked.

Yamamoto popped out a genuine grin, "Pretty good! The people there are very nice and it's peaceful."

"You like peace and quiet?" Kadota raised an eyebrow.

Yamamoto gave a wry look. When he was a kid, he had been very reckless and always out for fun.

"You can say... Namimori has its little quirks as well," he chimed.

Kadota's gave wandered pointedly to Reborn. It wasn't everyday you met a talking baby.

Yamamoto laughed, "The infant is one of those quirks, I guess!"

"In Ikebukuro, even he would be normal," Shizuo chewed a slice of salmon.

Yamamoto smiled, "Right?"

"Anri doesn't smile anymore," Kadota informed him.

The baseball player stiffened.

Shizuo picked up his cup of green tea, "She never talks to any of us anymore and always runs away when we try. Kid, it's like we remind her of y-"

Yamamoto slammed a fist on to the bar, effectively silencing all ongoing conversation. All the Ikebukuroers stared knowingly at Yamamoto.

Everybody remembered. Why did they have to remember? Why did they have to force him to remember?

"I..." he spoke like each word was pain embodied, "I wasn't strong enough to protect her. I will _not _be the living reminder of her past."

Silence settled in the air. The Vongola group were confused. Who was he talking about? What did he mean? Why was he hiding things from them? More importantly, was he okay?

A switch seemed to flick within Yamamoto and his blinding smile came back, along with new batteries.

"Sorry, I'll go out for a while. You guys continue," he said.

The burdened middle schooler walked out the door.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

_Blood. There was blood everywhere. Blood dripped down her flushed cheeks and on to her simple pink dress. Blood soaked through her usually coal-black locks, tinting them with red. Blood splattered the white walls of his living room, slicked the floor behind her._

_Where was his father? What was going on? Why was this happening? How could he fix it? A jumble of unanswered questions messed up his little, elementary school mind. He trembled, trying to push his body further under the table, despite it not being physically possible. His black hair was plastered by sweat to his forehead. Tears hindered his eyesight, blurring the view of his best friend._

_Her black katana gleamed in her chubby hands, screaming danger. He couldn't recognise her eyes. Her usually shy, warm brown eyes were filled with blank madness. This wasn't the girl he thought he knew. This couldn't be real._

_She took a step closer to him, her Mary Jane flats tripping over a pasty-white object. Yamamoto flinched, momentarily distracted by the motion. However, tears started rolling uncontrollably down his cheeks when he realised what the object was._

_It was a dead arm._

_It was _the _dead arm of his _mother_._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

Since the previous chapter was short, I put up a part two.

I also read through my previous chapters for the first time and found a few errors. I'll fix them... sometime (:

About the banana and ice-cream sushi, thinking about shotas made me think of Len Kagamine, who led me to think of Kaito ^_^ I'm also not _really_sure if Tsuna can be considered 'shota'. I just wanted to put in some otaku references.

I wrote this whole thing on my phone at around 2am, but added the italics and stuff on my laptop. -yawn-

R&R please!

-Rin-


	6. Catena V

Ever since they came to Ikebukuro, Yamamoto has been acting strange. Always a little out of focus, always a little pretentious. Everybody can see this, and frankly, it makes them a bit uneasy and doubtful. What secrets did Yamamoto harbour? Was the Yamamoto they knew the real Yamamoto? Much to the denial of Gokudera, they all quietly wanted to help their friend.

Chrome was probably the most affected. She was far away from home, and she felt alone in this weird new place. On hindsight, maybe she should have asked Ken and Chikusa to come along. Of course, they was no guarantee that they would have. She trusted the Boss and his friends deeply... but in the end, she was still uncomfortable.

_"Chrome... My Nagi..."_

Chrome teetered back a smidge when Mukuro's voice resounded in her head, bringing with it the pull of that grassy plain. She curled up on her bed, closing her eyes.

_"Mu... kuro-sama?" she called out._

_Her savior appeared from behind, startling her as usual. Her hair blew freely around her face and she fingered the simple white dress._

_Mukuro smiled, "Nagi, remember. Remember that I will always be by your side."_

_"Y-Yes, Mukuro-sama," Chrome blushed._

_Mukuro ran a hand through the silky strands of her hair; moving so that a careful distance was placed between them._

_"Nagi, I want you to keep an eye on Yamamoto Takeshi, understand?" he said._

_She tilted her head to a side, "The Rain person?"_

_"Yes, the Rain Guardian," Mukuro confirmed._

_Chrome hesitantly asked, "May I ask why, Mukuro-sama?"_

_In a gust of wind, Mukuro was gone, leaving her standing beside a tree and a flower in her hand._

_"My... sources have informed me that he might be a person of great use," his voice lingered._

Chrome bit the inside of her cheek in thought. She opened her eyes, and she was back in the rather plain hotel room. Mukuro was planning something _again_...

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Tsuna was irritated. Why on earth did he have to go and see this Izaya on his own? Oh, right, Reborn said that it would be good training. Maybe it would do him some good—_screw that_! He didn't want to go see some stranger by himself! What if the guy tried to kill him or something?

He could feel his palms starting to sweat already. With a final groan, and a frustrated tousling of his spiky hair, he pressed the doorbell to the address Izaya had given. He couldn't help feeling very alone at that moment.

"Who is it?" a curt female voice filtered through the speaker.

Tsuna paused for a second. A lady? Izaya didn't live alone? Was it his wife, maybe? However, he snapped out of it at the annoyed prompt that followed.

He stuttered, "U-Uh, my name is Sawada Tsunayoshi, and Orihara-san asked me to come to this place...?"

"Tch," was all he heard before the connection cut off.

He waited, gradually getting worried. Was he at the correct place? He double-checked the grubby piece of paper. No, correct. Then, why—

The classy-looking door snapped open suddenly, nearly hitting him in the face. A brown-haired female glared sharply at him, her arms crossed firmly over her lime-green sweater.

"Well? What are waiting for? Come in," she said, rather snarkily.

Tsuna frowned, stalking in to the uncharted territory with apprehension. Izaya smirked at him from his swiveling chair.

"Yo, Tsunayoshi-kun," Izaya waved, "I believe I asked you to come with your friends?"

Tsuna replied with a cautious smile, "R-Reborn told me to come alone, for training..."

"Oh? Is that so? That's a bit disappointing," Izaya walked over to where Tsuna stood.

Tsuna couldn't help but shrink back, causing the smirk on Izaya's face to widen.

"Ne, Tsunayoshi-kun, how's Yamamoto-kun?" Izaya smiled pleasantly.

Tsuna blinked, "Um, he's doing well, I guess?"

"Ah, no sudden changes to his behaviour?" Izaya pressed further.

Tsuna paused, thinking back to all those times when Yamamoto didn't seem like Yamamoto anymore. When his eyes would grow cold and a bit distant, and his smile would fade. Izaya ruffled Tsuna's hair when he noticed the doubt he had aroused in the boy's mind.

He plopped himself on to the sofa and motioned for Tsuna to do the same.

He started, "Well, I'll tell you about the information you were here for now, alright?"

"The Yellow Scarves have started hunting down the Dollars, well, trying to anyway," he twirled a finger in the air, "They're just beating up anyone they think are part of Dollars, even if they really aren't. Many Dollars are quitting because they're afraid to be the next one."

"What others don't know is that the Yellow Scarves are having somewhat… of an internal dispute now. Their leader has recently just been reinstated—"

Tsuna raised an eyebrow, "Reinstated?"

"You're a sharp one, aren't you?" Izaya laughed, "Yes, reinstated. He quit because his girlfriend was hurt in the past war with the Blue Squares. He's back now because he believes the Slasher has hurt his friend, and that the Slasher is part of the Dollars."

Izaya stood up at that moment, reaching for a nearby notepad to scribble something on.

He informed, "Here's the Yellow Scarves hideout, and this is as much information as I was paid to give but I'll leave you a little bonus. Your friend Yamamoto might get roped deeper in to this war than anybody else in Vongola."

He patted Tsuna on the shoulder before heading back to his desk. Tsuna walked out the door with a rather troubled heart. He was rather unwilling to hurt these people, since it seemed like they were only fighting because their friends were hurt. However, that's why they were going to stop this war, right? To prevent more people from being hurt. Izaya's last words also gave Tsuna a bad feelings. Yamamoto was going to be very involved this time, and he didn't want his friend in danger… but it might already be too late.

He really wanted to leave Ikebukuro at that moment.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

Three guesses at what Mukuro's sources are OwO

I think that this may not be as good as usual. Probably because my eyes are streaming now and my nose is pretty red. Damn. Sorry, guys.

I better stop writing before I become unable to.

Agh, I can't stop sneezing. My brains are going to fly out.

-Rin-


	7. Catena VI

Reborn considered the information Tsuna had uneasily come back carefully. He had no doubt that all of the information was legitimate, but he did doubt if it was the whole truth. What part had Izaya had in this war? Were all these people connected in a way different than the obvious? What worried him the worst was Izaya's last, 'bonus' line. He had told Tsuna that for a reason, and Reborn knew that that reason wasn't favourable to them.

"_Yamamoto might get roped deeper in to this than anyone else in Vongola."_

How was Yamamoto involved? Had those 'bad memories' of his have something to do with this? Maybe he should confront Yamamoto about this matter, but he had no guarantee that Yamamoto would tell him. No, Yamamoto would not tell him. Reborn didn't like any of these blurry circumstances. He could tell, even if the others weren't smart enough to read deeper, that there was some underground planning that would cause major problems.

Be that as it may, he can only run with as much information as he had right now.

"Oi, Dame-Tsuna, call everybody here," He ordered.

A sip from his cup of espresso calmed his mind, even if just barely. Tsuna looked he had something to say but decided against it when he saw Reborn's troubled face. He had a feeling that this war was going to affect them much more than their previous fights.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"So, what we know about the Yellow Scarves is this:"

Reborn was perched on edge of a table with a rather serious expression, and the rest were scattered around Tsuna's hotel room, the exceptions being Lambo and the one who was taking care of him, Basil.

"The Yellow Scarves are the more violent gang of the two, and they seem to be the one who started this war. They think that the Slasher has hurt their shogun's friend, and that the Slasher is part of Dollars. They were also in a war with the now disbanded Blue Squares before. Izaya also mentioned that they are having an internal dispute."

"The Dollars, on the other hand, seem to be on the losing end. Many of their members seem to be quitting out of fear. Their gang is the more ambiguous one, as no one knows who the very top is and they hardly take action. I found out through rumours, though, that their leader _has_ issued a command for information on the Slasher, which may or may not confirm that the Slasher is in Dollars."

Reborn turned to Tsuna, "You are the boss. What do you plan to do?"

"E-Eh? Me? Wait—I already told you I wasn't going to be boss!" Tsuna objected.

Gokudera piped in, "Don't be like that, Tenth! No one else is worthy like you to be the boss!"

Reborn simply ignored this and pinned Tsuna with his stare, waiting for an answer.

"Ah, well," Tsuna thought for a while, "I guess we can try to talk to the Yellow Scarves and Dollars?"

Reborn's matter-of-fact tone killed the idea, "If that had worked, then why did we need to come to Ikebukuro?"

Yamamoto echoed this with a laugh. Tsuna sighed. He still didn't like the idea of violence.

"What if we caught the Slasher? Then the Yellow Scarves and Dollars will have no reason to fight," Tsuna suggested hopefully.

Reborn said, "Unfortunately, I don't think that this war is as shallow as it seems. It's also a bit of a rivalry thing, and it will continue, with or without the Slasher."

"Think of it this way: if the Yellow Scarves continue this war and win, they might try to usurp our other allied famiglias, and eventually come after Vongola. This means everybody in this room will be in trouble. They might even target Kyoko and Haru."

Reborn's words hit everybody hard. The reality that their friends might be injured, even _killed _was unthinkable. Tsuna's expression turned murderous, visible despite the thick brown bangs that fell over his eyes. _I won't let them do that. _

Reborn watched his student, and the corners of his mouth turned up in an approving smile. _Remember that resolve, Tsuna._

He announced, "We'll go to the Yellow Scarves hideout and give them a warning. If they refuse…"

Hibari nodded. Discipline would be in order. The silence that lingered in the air was heavy and unwanted, but needed. The Vongola split up to get ready for a huge brawl.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

_"I need to do something."_

Anri shuddered, folding her arms tight across her ample chest. A terrible, ominous feeling assaulted her and she knew.

_I need to do something._

She wasn't sure exactly _what_, but she knew that something was changing, and fast. She couldn't control whatever _that_ was, but she needed to know. She needed to know the truth.

She wasn't an idiot. She could tell that something about _everything_ was off. Her two best friends dazed off in to obliviousness when they thought she wasn't looking. Mikado kept obsessively checking his cell phone, and always seemed too alert when people walked by, spouting rumours. He reacted strangely when the topic of colour gangs came up. Kida wasn't much better, frankly. He was always deep in thought. When they hung out, he would always have to leave suddenly because 'something came up'. His eyes clouded with pain when he looked at her. She couldn't stand not knowing.

The world around them now buzzed with caution. Everybody felt the danger in the air. They all acted like a riot was going to start any moment. There was no logic to this feeling. She just _knew_.

Then, it came. A gunshot that set off her course of action.

_Kanra:「By the way, Saika-san, do you know of a gang called the Yellow Scarves?」_

_Saika:「You mean, the people who wear yellow cloth around the city?」_

_Kanra:「Yes, them!~ Well, there's another gang like them called the Dollars.」_

_Kanra:「Due to the Slasher incidents, the two of them are in a pretty dire situation right now!~ （ ﾟ Дﾟ）」_

_Saika:「Ano… What do you mean by that?」_

Anri was worried. Could that insecurity she had been feeling recently be her own fault?

_Setton:「Give it a rest, Kanra-san.」_

_Setton: 「Don't bring up that sort of dark stuff with people who don't know about it.」_

_Anri smiled when Celty intervened. It was so like her ethereal friend, whose concern for her was one of a kind._

_Kanra:「No, no. You have to know if you live in Ikebukuro!」_

_Kanra: 「The perpetrator for the Slasher incidents hasn't been caught yet, right?」_

_Kanra:「A lot of the Dollars and Yellow Scarves members have been hurt by the Slasher.」_

_Kanra:「Apparently, they both think that the Slasher is involved with the other gang.」_

_Tanaka Taro:「The Dollars don't seem so hung up over this, though.」_

_Tanaka Taro:「 I'm sure it's all a misunderstanding, since they both don't know much about each other (_)v」_

_Kanra:「Either way, if one of them don't take things in to hand with the Slasher, blood will rain down on Ikebukuro (ーー;)」_

_—Motono has joined the conversation—_

_Motono:「Yo! (＾▽＾)」_

_Kanra:「Ah, a new face? Afternoon!~」_

_Setton:「Afternoon.」_

_Tanaka Taro:「Afternoon, Motono-san.」_

_Saika:「Good afternoon…」_

_Motono:「Is this an Ikebukuro chat? It sounds like you guys are having fun.」_

_Tanaka Taro:「Ah, more or less, I think.」_

_Kanra:「We're talking about the Yellow Scarves and Dollars~ Do you know about them?」_

_Motono:「I heard that they're starting a war.」_

A war? Anri was startled beyond belief.

_Kanra:「Now they have a real rivalry!~」_

_Kanra:「It's scary ヽ(≧Д≦)ノ ｳﾜｧｧﾝ!」_

_—Setton wants to start a private conversation with you.—_

_Setton:「You don't have to worry about anything, Anri-chan.」_

_Setton: 「Those are running amuck by themselves. You don't have to turn yourself in or anything, since you're not the true culprit.」_

_Setton: 「Don't be hasty.」_

_Setton: 「The police are really scary these days! They really are! Really!」_

_Setton: 「Especially the traffic cops!」_

_—In the main conversation.—_

_Saika: 「Thank you very much.」_

_—In the private conversation.—_

_Setton: 「Ah, right. I'll teach you about private chats later ヽ（´ー｀）┌」_

_—In the main conversation.—_

_Saika: 「Ano… Excuse me. This is it for me today.」_

_Tanaka Taro: 「Ah, okay.」_

_Tanaka Taro: 「See you around, Saika-san.」_

_Kanra: 「Good night~」_

_Motono:「That's fast! Good night, ne.」_

_Setton: 「Bye (´･ω･`)」_

_—Saika has left the conversation.—_

Anri flopped on to her bed, sighing.

_I have to do something._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

Gah. That's a lot of the chat. It was tiring to type, because I decided to implement the '「」' and the evoticons that Japanese use. I'll admit: I copied the evoticons off Google. Haha.

'Motono' is written as '本野', meaning 'just'. It's also a combination of two words that are related to that person. If anyone manages to figure out why I chose that name, tell me.

Was this chapter okay? I don't really know. The next chapter is going to be pretty interesting, though.

R&R?

-Rin-


	8. Catena VII

"We all fight for that in which we cannot compromise."

Izaya laughs when he sees this statement. The Orihara Izaya doesn't have anything he cannot compromise. He will give up everything if that is what fun is. He will fight only for himself. However, he realises that that is actually… quite _incorrect_.

Orihara Izaya has things in which he cannot compromise. Firstly, the entire human race. They live for the sole purpose of being his pawns, or so he believes. He lives his life for the sake of controlling those pawns, for surely they would be lost without him. They are the sole thing his life revolved around, and were they to disappear…Well, he would be very lost.

Secondly, Kishitani Shinra. He likes his best friend very much. Shinra may appear very simple-minded but Izaya knows that the man isn't really such. That is not what interests him, though. What interests him is that this man has stayed by him, a literal psychopath, for a total of 6 years or so. Of course, this could be explained off with the fact that Shinra was most likely a psychopath as well.

Thirdly, and amusingly, Heiwajima Shizuo. Izaya will never admit this. Really. However, he knows he will find it hard to give up his biggest source of fun. He enjoys the intense feeling if danger that surrounded that beast, and the thrill of being chased and hated that came with it. The adrenaline was just… _delicious. Delectable. Addicting._ Any other synonym you can find. Life would be downright dull without him.

This is why he can understand the thoughts that run through those two main characters heads as he planned what might be his biggest scheme ever.

_"I have to do something."_

_"I have to protect them."_

_"I can't let them be hurt."_

_"I need to know the truth."_

He could understand those burning emotions that seared his little pawns. This is why this little war will truly be the most _enjoyable _one yet.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Kida Masaomi was struggling to squish down the fury that bubbled in his body. Now that he was back, emotions assaulted him like he was their doll. Gone was his usual high school life. Gone was the serenity and happiness that he used to experience. A maze of thinly woven feelings confused his brain. He could pick up happiness at being back among the Yellow Scarves, his surrogate family when Mikado hadn't been able to be by his side. He could pick up a slight warning instinct… that something was just off. He could pick up worry, worry that Mikado and Anri might find out. He could pick up fear, fear that they might hate him for it. He could feel helplessness, that maybe he couldn't salvage this situation after all; that the past might…repeat.

Kida flinched. Be that as it may, the largest emotion that stood out among all the others was anger. _Pure, white anger._ He was _angry_ that they had dragged him back in. He _hated _the Slasher for forcing his hand. He _hated_ the world for choosing to hurt Sonohara Anri and not some other girl. This city has decided to hurt his best friend, and that made him _so angry_. He couldn't forgive this darkness.

"…_shogun_?"

Kida looked up, "I told you to call me Kida."

"Er… Kida is a bit…" the high schooler with an afro hesitated. "A-Anyway, there's something you need to know."

Kida raised an eyebrow at the odd tone, "Yes?"

The gang members exchanged glances among themselves uneasily.

"Well, spit it out."

A member wearing sunglasses stepped up, "A Mafia famiglia—"

"_Who's there?" _a sharp shout interrupted them.

Kida looked towards the source of sound, "What happened?"

"A girl was spying on us!" someone reported.

Another yelled, "They're chasing her as we speak!"

"A girl?"

"She could be with the Dollars!"

Kida contemplated for a while, "Don't hurt her too much. I want to speak with her."

That was all that was heard before Kida hopped off the raised metal platform and ran off in another direction.

"I'll go this way!"

He cursed the rain as it started pattering down, weighing on his clothes and plastering his hair to his face. He nearly slipped on some oil as he raced around.

_He shouldn't have been hesitant yet… _

_Why?_

_Why was anxiety rippling through this body of his?_

All of a sudden, a gunshot resounded through the air.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"Is she in the back of here?"

Anri slipped her feet a bit closer in. _If I don't run…_

_It's an easy choice, isn't it?_

_I'll slash everybody and love them._

_I'll slash those yellow children, too, and love them._

_I'll love everybody._

What would happen to her? Anri thought. _Kida-kun…_ _I don't want to hurt anyone! _Anri hid her face between her knees, pressing herself as close as possible to the wall.

_I'll slash that baseball kid and love him._

Sonohara Anri was a _monster_.

"It's too narrow—_who's there_!"

A gun shot rang out, startling Anri.

"We come in peace." a stern, calm voice replied.

Anri's tears mixed with the rain as she lifted her head. Someone had come.

"Who are you?"

"We are the Vongola. We ask that you let us speak to your boss."

"V-Vongola?" she could hear a voice turn scared.

Kida's voice suddenly entered the conversation, "Who are you?"

"Are you the _shogun_ of the Yellow Scarves?"

There was the rustling of some movement.

"I am. I ask again, who are you?"

"We are the Vongola."

"_S-Shogun_…"

Whispering that Anri could barely hear ensued.

"Vongola… Italian… here… food… survival… Mafia… to…"

There was a sigh that probably came from Kida. Anri could almost imagine the boy pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What do you want?"

"We ask that you stop this war. It has been quite… troublesome, and consequences are dire."

All that was there was the crickets and thundering of rain for a moment. Anri strained to hear _anything_, anything at all.

"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't do that."

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**  
>I apologise if this chapter is a bit late. Well, I'm not sure when is late, seeing as I don't have a fixed date for updating my story. But that is not the point.<p>

I have a bad habit of having to complete my chapter in one go, or I will lose interest in that. Meaning that I have deleted at least two versions of this chapter. Sorry :3

I realise my number of reviews per chapter has dropped. Is my quality dropping? -sigh-

I forgot Izaya's age, hence, '6 years or so'.

By the way, I am sneezing my brains out again. Why me?


	9. Catena VIII

**Warning: **Angst, gore, and blood. Lots of it.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"Why? Why do you continue to fight this war? Why do you continue to _hurt_?"

Tsuna was _desperate_. He simply could not comprehend. There was no logic in this farce. Tears blurred his vision, glimmering in the corners of his eyes. Blood splattered his high cheekbones. _Blood that was not his own. Pain that did not belong to him_.

Kida panted, almost forced in to a kneeling position. Red ate at his sight, and even _he _was not sure if it was anger or his blood. The hand that clutched the crowbar trembled uncontrollably. _He understood_. He couldn't hold out for much longer. The firm gloved hand that caught his crowbar was far too _strong_.

"It's_—gasp—_b-because… because!" Kida coughed, a mouthful of bitter crimson, "I… have s-something_—gasp—_people…! People to protect, too…"

Anri stood wide-eyed at a corner. Her bottom lip smarted from too much stressed biting. She watched as her friend tumbled to the floor, warped metal falling too near to his scarred face for comfort. Her gaze flickered from peripheral view to frontline view to _scalding, bloody anger._

"No…! Please. No more! _Stop it_!"

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Rain showered down from the rumbling heavens. The tension was high in this storm. You could honestly cut it with a knife.

Anri shivered, tucking herself a little further in. She was a smart girl. She understood what this situation meant. _Danger_, it practically screamed. However, she failed to realise the true seriousness of this. Who were those men? How was Kida involved? Anri was a tad confused.

Reborn finally spoke up, "Do you understand the meaning of the words you just uttered, _kid_?"

Kida didn't hesitate to nod. He understood. How could he not? He was technically signing a death sentence for the Yellow Scarves. Be that as it may, he knew that he would not regret this choice, no matter what the consequences.

The Yellow Scarves trembled. Vongola were an opponent they just could not win. What was their _shogun_ doing? Was he, perhaps, just a foolish high schooler after all? No, that would make all of them foolish high schoolers, and simply because they were such that they absolutely _did not_ want to die so quickly.

"Then, we will have no choice but to resort to violence!" Gokudera snarled.

All they felt was a rush of wind before a loud screech of metal against metal was heard. Hibari's gaze was cold, bored and unyielding. Kida looked like his arm was going to break from the mere force of Hibari's blow.

"You're weak," Hibari hissed scathingly.

Ryohei complained, "What? Hibari, you're off playing without us?"

With a war cry, the boxer also joined in the game. The Yellow Scarves were hit left and right by this, uh, _extreme_ middle schooler. Gokudera scoffed at their 'stupidity' and started throwing out bombs. Yamamoto laughed and easily dodged the hits that were spun at him by frantic gang members. Chrome, well, _shoved _the enemies aside with her lengthy trident. Tsuna was knocking out as many people as he could. As far as possible, he didn't want to use his flames and permanently injure someone.

Oh? Lambo and Basil, you ask? The snotty kid was beside himself with excitement in the CEDEF member's arms, happy to see 'fireworks' (read: bombs) and a 'live gore movie' (read: war).

Anri accidentally smashed her head against a carton when her cell phone vibrated. Luckily, the racket of battle outside cancelled out the slight noise. She flipped open the device hurriedly.

「I'm here. Where are you?」

Anri's nimble fingers flew across the keypad. She could get out now, when the Yellow Scarves were distracted. _Kida-kun… _She was momentarily derailed by the thought of her cheery friend, fighting a bloody battle outside. No… Kida could handle himself. She didn't need to cause him more trouble for the moment.

In a few moments, a haunting horse's neigh echoed through the night and the shadowy rider arrived. Her slender figure seemed almost like a contradiction to the metallic motorcycle. The black she was wrapped up in like skin-tight ribbons was the purest form of black. Glossy and hypnotizing. No polluted _human _could ever make that colour. Her bright yellow helmet glowed in the frigid night sky.

"The… The Headless Rider!" someone squealed.

The glossy bike called a warning whinny before scaling the brick wall and halting right in the middle of the fight. Everyone, on both sides, were cautious in approaching this enigma.

Gokudera drooled, "An… UMA?"

"Woah! Gokudera's gone in to fan mode!" Yamamoto remarked.

Reborn stared at this new addition. _An enemy? An ally? _

Celty shuddered a bit at the piercing glare that burned through her being, fixated only on her, the oddity. She had never felt anything like it before and it, quite surprisingly, scared her. Sure, she was used to criticizing glances and admiring looks, but _never _ this calculating stare. Celty traced the gaze down to two beady coal-black eyes of an… infant? Really? Wearing a fedora and a suit? Carrying a gun? No, this was a _professional hitman_. Despite the short stature, she could feel it. His observing, heartless eyes, his confident body language… This man was _danger embodied. _

Celty's smartphone buzzed in her palm and she quickly diverted her attention to it. Anri awaited her help.

"Watch out! She's going to make a move!" Kida warned his gang.

The motorcycle whinnied before riding up the stack of cartons, scattering the crowd of people in its way. Lambo clapped his hands at the 'show'.

Celty flashed her smartphone at the cowering girl hiding in the small crevice. They had to leave, _now_, or become fodder for the Mafia. Anri hoisted herself up on to the bike, clinging to her friend tightly. _Kida-kun… Why? _That one line was still engraved in to her thought process. Inky threads took the form of a midnight-black helmet, materializing over her face. Anri blinked.

"Ah… Thank you."

Suddenly, they were off. Cutting through the thin air with adrenaline pounding in her veins. The people below gaped at the sight. What on earth…? A scrap of a metal pole was whipped at the duo and Celty cringed. It would be no problem if it hit her but Anri—

A clang and a _katana _gleamed in the air. The warped metal split and fell to the ground. Yamamoto's eyes widened. _That _memory invaded his vision in snippets, almost immediately. _Bloodbloodblood. Death. _He could almost chew on the impending nausea and pain that followed. It hurt so much, and it was choking him. Blood swelled to his head. He knew that _katana_. That slight curve of the blade, the pattern that dug in to its hilt. He had seen it coated in pure _crimson _that one night. He knew the girl who had been _run through _by that very _katana _that night. The name of the girl who now wielded it was—

"An…ri?"

A gunshot rang in his ears. Dripping tendrils zigzagged across the sky, pushing away that bullet. They started to retreat to their mistress, only to burst in to sunny flames. Celty screamed. A blazing flame ate at her core. She could _feel _it. The motorcycle screeched, falling to the floor, its two passengers with it. Anri groaned at the pain that cracked her thigh.

She reached for her friend worriedly, "Celty-san! Are you alright?"

Celty gasped. The pain subsided, just a little, as the flames on her burnt tendrils withered out. _What… was that? What was this strange _flame_?_ She didn't know that mere _fire _could _hurt _her. _Her_, a dullahan, was hurt by this sort of thing?

"Who are you?" Tsuna asked.

The flame on his forehead danced and flickered, the amber reflected lightly in his neutral eyes. Anri shrunk back. Who were these people? Normally, she wouldn't be affected. However, today was… _different. _She couldn't seem to get in to her peripheral view. It _evaded _her. _Why? Why did she _care_?_

Abruptly, a flash of blue caught her eye. Anri gasped as she whipped around to get a better view of that familiar sports jacket. _He was really _here_… but why? Why was _he _involved in this?_

"Y-Yamamoto-kun…" she mouthed.

Tsuna was taken back. She knew Yamamoto? He shot a glance to where his friend stood. The baseball player wore the same lost lamb look. Tsuna narrowed his eyes. Was this girl, just maybe, the cause of Yamamoto's strange behaviour?

"Tenth! What's wrong?" Gokudera called, worried.

Tsuna unfroze himself, "Do you know Yamamoto? What's your name?"

"Sonohara…" Anri went back to chewing on her bottom lip nervously, "Sonohara Anri."

A large outcry alerted them to incoming danger. Tsuna was suddenly cut off as a crowbar was forced at him. The dirty metal melted easily under his flames. He looked up, and found himself face to face with the blond _shogun _from earlier.

Anri blanched, "Kida-kun!"

"Anri, I don't know why you're here, but I won't let you get hurt!" Kida wheezed.

Chaos ensued once again as the Yellow Scarves threw themselves at their opponents, following their boss' example. Ryohei cussed when a knife nicked at his cheek. Gokudera stumbled when three Yellow Scarves attempted to maim his arm in a combined attack. Chrome was forced to use her illusions, effectively bringing down a big group of people, but tiring her very quickly. Hibari decapitated everyone. Easily.

Yamamoto was half in a daze, and half not. Images continued to run like a filmstrip in his brain, while he did his best deflecting attacks with his Shigure Kintoki.

Celty pushed herself up. She had to get Anri out of here. Her sense sounded a siren at her. This was _war_.

"Stop this," Tsuna demanded.

Kida scowled weakly, "No way in hell."

"Why?" Tsuna inquired, "This war will hurt so many. Even that girl over there."

Kida tripped and nearly fell. He assessed Tsuna as well as he could. The kid was strong, far too strong for him. The power radiated off those strange flames he wielded. He never stood a chance of winning. He had to hold out at least until Anri could leave.

"I declare war with the Slasher for hurting Anri. If the Dollars persist in siding with it, then I will crush the Dollars," Kida snarled.

Anri watched all this with wild eyes. She knew it. It was all _her fault_. She was a _liability. _A _cursed child_. A _monster_.

_I'll slash them all open and love them._

_If I love them, then they'll have to love me, too._

"Anri!"

Anri was snapped out of the red haze by the nostalgic voice. She saw the hand that reached for her. She noticed the distraction it had caused Kida. She saw the splash of red that stained the black canvas of sky. She noticed that a hand now stuck out of Kida's back. She saw the orange flames surrounding the hand die out.

"No… No! _Kida-kun_!" Anri shrieked.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Kida choked. His eyes burned with the blood that flowed in from a wound on his forehead. His stomach blossomed with scalding _hurt_. He could feel the arm that had pierced it still there. His life liquid gurgled out of his innards. He almost laughed at the expression of horror on his enemy's face. Ah, it _hurt_.

His knees buckled. His vision blurred. The crowbar in his hand was still firmly caught in the Vongola kid's palm. Was he going to die here?

"Why?"

He saw the brunette's lips move and Kida automatically answered the question. He couldn't hear the words past the blood rushing past his ears, and couldn't think clearly enough to remember them. He was too far _gone _already. The darkness felt so welcoming now. The lullaby of the abyss beckoned him. Was this what death felt like?

_I'm sorry, Anri. You had to see this side of me._

_I'm sorry, Mikado. I couldn't protect the girl you loved so much._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

'Peripheral view' refers to when Anri looks at life 'through a picture frame', 'frontline view' refers to normal sight and 'scalding, bloody anger' is when Anri is Saika.

School is starting soon, and I have like, 9 homework left? -tonfa'd- I might not be able to update for a while because of school but I'll try!

I've starting writing this in a little notebook (actually, a Korean planner that I bought at a sale) so now I'm typing it all out from there. Amazing overuse of italics in this chapter. This chapter is a bit longer than usual. 15 pages of my notebook, 5 pages of Microsoft Word and 2,119 words. Also, use of '_in media res_'?

R&R?

-Rin-


	10. Catena IX

**Warning: **Angst, gore, blood and vulgarities. A fair share of it.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"_And the room's hush-hush, now's our moment. Eyes on you, eyes on me."_

_- All About Us by He is We feat. Owl City _

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Her eyes were blazing, uncut rubies in the fog. The round glasses she wore had slight sheen in the dark. Before anyone could notice, she had her _katana _out, slashing wildly through the air to press tightly against a slender, white neck.

"You _bastard_," she spat.

Tsuna frowned. He could get away. He knew it. However, firstly, why was this girl—Anri-chan, he reminded himself—so angry? For hurting the tall lady with the cat-eared helmet? It didn't seem so… Tsuna raised a hand and coincidentally also realised that his cheeks were still wet. His eyes widened and he checked his hands, which were… dripping with _blood_. Ah… that's right.

He had killed a person. His body wrecked with shudders. He had a killed a _person_. He had a killed a _person_.

He was a _murderer_.

Suddenly, all background noise grew muted. The worried calls of his famiglia fell on deaf ears.

"Tenth!"

"Boss!"

"Sawada!"

"Oi, Dame-Tsuna!"

"Sawada-dono!"

"Stupid Tsuna?"

"Eh? Tsu… na?"

Yamamoto blinked, whipping his head from side to side to dispel of the lingering images. His body jerked at the bloody scene in front of him. A high schooler lying in a steadily-growing puddle of crimson, a black-clothed lady struggling to get up, bodies (corpses?) strewn around them and his brunette friend at sword point of a spectacle-wearing girl. His grip on his limp katana tightened at the latter. _His friend at sword point of a spectacle-wearing girl. _His vision slowly focused and he took a double take. He realised just _who _the girl was. Hesitation stiffened his body.

_What should I do?_

Yamamoto's gaze wandered to his panicked friends. Gokudera was practically beside himself with enmity, his bombs nearly cracking under his white knuckles. Chrome was so frightened that tears were gathering in the rims of her indigo eyes. Ryohei gritted his teeth, his fists clenched at his sides. Lambo seemed to have finallynoticed just how serious the situation was and started bawling his eyes out. Basil was caught between worrying about Tsuna and comforting Lambo. Reborn had his lips pressed together in a tense grimace. Even Hibari had held himself back from attacking the enemy. Most likely because a student of Namimori Middle was being threatened.

Yamamoto uneasily looked towards Tsuna. His kind, innocent friend—too innocent to belong in the black-painted world—was at the mercy of a hostile swordswoman. The poor kid looked haunted, nauseous and on the verge of giving out. His cheeks glimmered. Tsuna was _crying_.

_What am I _doing_?_

_Coward! _Your friend is going to be _killed _and what are you _doing_?

Your past is _irrelevant. _A _liability_. A _distraction_. Completely _unnecessary._

_Protect _your friend! _Rage_! _Destroy _her! _Hurt _her! _Maim _her!

_Kill _her!

Just like that, Yamamoto disappeared and reappeared behind the busty female, his _katana _lightly slicing in to the skin of her pale neck.

":Let Tsuna go."

His voice was cold, emotionless. There was an underlying tone of brutal, heartless violence underneath that ran shivers up Anri's back. He really meant it. Anri gained a fleeting look at the deadly _katana _that she could just barely see out of the corner of her eye. She studied it worriedly. Thoughts belonging to both Saika and herself hummed quietly in the back of her mind, a subdued tangle of wills. She knew. The sleek, but a little chipped blade was jeopardous. She frowned when she noted the hardly recognisable, but definitely there pale blue shade of the metal. Where had she seen it _before_?

Oh. A swallow.

Anri gasped. A swallow. Shigure Kintoki. _Yamamoto_.

Gokudera's jaw grew slack. What was that idiot _doing_? What if that woman decided to slit—no, he could not even _think_ it—the Tenth's neck? How could the idiot account for that, then? Gokudera scowled, opening his mouth to yell at the man.

"You stupid—"

He was cut off by a tonfa socking him in the face. He choked, pain rocking through his facial muscles. He fell on his butt in a rather clumsy manner and groaned, pressing a hand to his face in order to stem the blood flow that originated from his newly broken nose.

Gokudera hissed, "What the _fuck_, Hibari?"

The aforementioned man shot him an icy look. Gokudera cussed as a well-aimed leg kicked him in the gut.

"_That_ is not Yamamoto Takeshi, you herbivore," he curtly informed.

Gokudera 'tched' as best as he could with the air knocked out of him, "What are you talking about—?"

This gained an excruciating kick to his face. Darkness closed in on his vision when he was once again knocked to the ground by the school prefect. He took a while longer to recover this time, and then grudgingly took a closer look at Yamamoto.

All traces of the usual joking mannerisms were gone. Not even hidden. Just… not there. _Gone_. His stance was absolutely serious… like an assassin. The _katana _in his hand was steady and unforgiving, almost like he had no qualms about _killing _someone. His normally bright and pure chocolate-brown eyes were dulled to a blank, bitter shadow of its original. Damn, Hibari was right. This was not _Yamamoto Takeshi_, certified baseball idiot and happy-go-lucky Rain Guardian, that Gokudera knew. After years of mindless squabbles the duo always engaged in, somehow, the bomber knew that Yamamoto would never, _ever _hurt any of them. So… Gokudera knew.

His silver-grey eyes widened to Bambi size.

This was a… a _hitman _that stood before him.

"Y-Yamamoto-kun…?" Anri whispered cautiously.

Yamamoto made no sign to show that he had heard her, "Let go of Tsuna, or I'll be forced to hurt you."

Anri gulped. Was this the sort of person that her best friend had turned in to? Her thoughts trailed back to Kida. The always-smiling blond who now lay in a pool of so much _blood_.

_I'm sorry, Anri._

No, she couldn't back down. These people had hurt her friend. Put a _hand _through his _stomach. _If these sort of people were the sort that her ex-best friend now associated himself with, then she no longer wanted _anything _to do with him anymore.

_You don't have to worry._

_I'll love him for you, since you can't anymore._

_I'll cut him open for you._

_Since I know you actually love him a lot._

Anri feinted to the left and removed her _katana _from the brunette's neck. Tsuna promptly crumpled to the ground. Anri flipped around a bit before bringing the sword up to meet Yamamoto's. Equally emotionless eyes met hers. Good. If Yamamoto was now a monster, then she'd be killing a _monster_.

Screeches of metal meeting metal resounded in her ears. Their fierce sword battle raged on. They dodged, leaped, ran and attacked with crazily fast movements that left the Vongola in awe. Shigure Kintoki cut through the dress sleeve, ripping it off just before she jumped away. Saika slit through the back of Yamamoto's jacket. They were just like two killers in the night.

Chrome watched the exchange with terribly worried eyes. No. Nonononono. This was all _wrong_! The feeling was just… _off_. What should she do? Stop the battle? _What_? The Rain Guardian might just really _die _at this rate!

"Yamamoto! Cease your _extreme_ fight! This feels _extremely_ wrong!" Ryohei beat her to it, hollering.

They both paid him no heed. Yamamoto flung his arm out to the side, igniting his luminant blue flame. Anri dove right in, swooping under his arm with the grace of a gazelle. She stabbed her _katana _forward, attempting to hit his heart. However, Yamamoto hopped out of the way, causing Anri to only puncture thin air, and then he was on her again. Anri growled, kicking Yamamoto's feet from under him.

He was poorly caught off guard and fell roughly on his hands and knees. In a flash, Saika pressed against his neck, a very real threat. Anri paused, unable to go any further and actually cut Yamamoto down. I mean, he was _Yamamoto_. Anri had a sharp intake of breath. She _really _couldn't do it, even if Saika was currently prodding her brain to do so.

"_Stop_!" Chrome screamed.

All eyes focused on her immediately. Chrome hiccupped, choking on her own tears.

She sobbed, "Just… stop. M-Mukuro-sama said that y-you're not a bad person… so p-please don't kill him? Boss is very, very, very nice and kind and… I know he didn't mean to h-hurt your friend so please? I beg you…"

Anri halted, her eyes straying to Tsuna for confirmation. Pitiful, dazed eyes met hers. She nodded, and then she let her _katana _fall to her side.

Just like this, Yamamoto's emotionless façade crumbled. Tears streamed down his cheeks endlessly, like a dam that had decided that it was safe to break. His mind was all messed up and muddled up and Anri was in front of him and Tsuna was okay and… oh, gawd, he didn't know what to _think _anymore…

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, sorry, sorry…"

He just continued chanting that word like it was a prayer. A spell of forgiveness that would erase all his sins, which even _he _was not sure what. Huge pearly tears rolled out of the wide-eyed girl's now warm, brown eyes.

Reborn surveyed the area. Blood-splattered containers. A few hundred bodies. Three people bawling their hearts out—wait, make that four since the stupid cow was still crying. The Vongola Tenth Generation all looked like lost sheep. He sighed. Where was his expresso again?

It was needless to say that this night was very, very somber.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

Ohmygawd, it's done. This was done in my Korean planner, as it will be from now on. Are you guys happy with this update?

When I start a story, I will get inspiration from something, and have a few scenes and a basic concept in mind. This part, where Yamamoto and Anri had this sword fight, was one of those scenes. It was really not that… _good_, per se, but acceptable.

'Kay, I need to go to bed now before my mom comes back to chase me. Good night!

R&R?

-Rin-


	11. Catena X

'_Even if you try to avoid you, there's nowhere to hide.'_

_- Lucifer by SHINee._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Harima Mika was a simple girl. All she needed was Seiji-san. Everything was for Seiji-san. Eating, drinking… those were all mundane needs. She would throw them all away if she could. Everything _before _Seiji-san was irrelevant. Nothing mattered but Seiji-san.

…well, didn't matter _that_ much.

Life before Seiji-san, plainly put, was pointless. She had just drifted randomly around. Mika had tried to act _normal_. She had made many friends. She had been popular. Her family had been normal. She had been a good girl.

However… it was just… like something was _missing_, you know?

A gaping, empty hole in her body she had tried to fill.

Mika had tried _everything_. She tried different hobbies, made different kinds of friends. When that didn't work, she tried drugs and alcohol.

Hell, she had even tried _killing_.

Nothing worked, not really. Most of the time, it just left her emptier than before. It had _hurt_.

That was before Seiji-san.

Mika smiled as Seiji jogged out of the convenience store holding a plastic bag of necessities. She reached in to that bag and picked a green, jelly-like lolly. The sweet flavor assaulted her mouth as she latched on to her beloved's arm.

In her world, there was only Seiji-san. Seiji-san was the light, her drug, a diamond and her god. The only thing that mattered was Seiji-san. Harima Mika only needed Seiji-san.

That's why Seiji-san shouldn't need anything but _her_, too.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Gokudera Hayato stared at his blurred reflection through dazed eyes. Water slid down his cheeks and drenched his shirt. His hair was akin to a wet dog's fur. His silver-grey eyes flashed an emerald-green for a moment before dulling back. The sound of running water rushed by his ears, echoing around the pale-tiled bathroom. His muddy shoes tracked mud over the already grimy floor.

"—_Hayato, quit scowling and enjoy the ladies~"_

"—_why? I don't understand!"_

"_I'm sorry, Masa-nii!"_

"_I didn't expect to turn out this way."_

"—_hate the Mafia. Hate doesn't cost anything and doesn't hurt _me_—"_

The faint feeling of metal grazing his throat lingered still. Gokudera groaned, shaking his head in an attempt to abolish those _irritating_ voices.

The silverette proceeded to dunk his head in the water once again.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Kida Masaomi awoke to a bright light pinching at his sensitive eyes. He winced, and then found himself staring at painfully white walls. He blinked. A vase of white flowers (seriously?) tickled the side of his face, almost causing him to sneeze. Kida noted the sore IV that had been poked in to his wrist and the white clothes that he had donned. The white blankets and white pillows that swathed his frame made his blond hair stand out.

"…Hayato…"

His voice was just above a whisper, pushing through his cracked lips with a yearning tone. The slight, buzzing chatter in the room broke through with complete silence at this one word. Black, choppy hair came in to view, along with a pale face.

A feminine voice repeated, "Hayato?"

"An…ri?" Kida cleared his throat.

A relieved smile tweaked the corners of Sonohara Anri's plump lips, brushing away the confusion and worry that clouded her eyes. _Kida-kun…_

"Did you say Hayato?" a low, guarded voice asked.

Kida tensed when a click was heard, and then black metal aimed at his forehead. A childish face appeared, along with a black and orange fedora. Beady, cold eyes assessed his every move. _An infant…?_

His brain was still muddled up. Had he said Hayato? Who was this baby? What happened? Where was he?

Images rushed in to his train of thought without warning, bringing with a searing pain in his abdomen. A slam of screeching noise plummeted his skull, and Kida instinctively lifted a hand to cradle his head. The sudden action warranted him a quick and effective bullet. It sliced neatly through a few strands of his hair and cracked the wall behind him. All the air rushed out of the poor high schooler, and cold sweat dotted his skin.

Poor Anri stood frozen at the side.

_An infant pointing a gun at her best friend._

_Gun? Threat? Danger._

_Danger. Danger. Danger. Pain. Kida-kun. Blood._

_Protect. Protect. Protect. Hurt. Protect. Kida-kun._

_Survi—_

"Idiot."

Anri jumped, roughly pulled of her red haze. Kida snapped out of his fearful state as well, looking towards where that crass voice had originated from.

A shaggy-haired male stood in the doorway. A puddle of water gathered at his dirty sneakers. Those light but furious eyes flashed dangerously at him. Relief and happiness flooded Kida's boyish frame.

"Haya…to…"

Then the darkness circled in, and he could no longer see anything else but the faint visage of that face. The last thing he saw was panic overriding the anger on that strong face.

Subsequently, a dark abyss chained his body to much needed slumber.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

I'm sorry for the late update. And argh, _why the hell is it so darn short? _Over the past two weeks, I have had strange, strange crossover pairings running havoc in my mind:

_1. Kida Masaomi and Suoh Tamaki. (Durarara! and Ouran High School Host Club)_

_2. Tsukiyomi Ikuto and Orihara Izaya. (Shugo Chara! And Durarara!)_

_3. Kida Masaomi and Gokudera Hayato. (Durarara! and Katekyo Hitman Reborn!)_

_4. Okumura Rin and Oz Vessalius. (Ao no Exorcist and Pandora Hearts)_

_5. Heiwajima Shizuo and Hotsuma Renjou. (Durarara! and Uragiri wa Boku no Namae o Shitteru)_

_6. Alois Trancy and Kuran Kaname. (Kuroshitsuji and Vampire Knight)_

_7. Gray Fullbuster and Soul Eater. (Fairy Tail and Soul Eater)_

_8. Natsu Dragneel and Rokudo Mukuro. (Fairy Tail and Katekyo Hitman Reborn!)_

_9. Yoite and Fai D. Flourite. (Nabari no Ou and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles)_

_10. Xerxes Break and Luka Crosszeria. (Pandora Hearts and Uragiri wa Boku no Namae o Shitteru)_

_11. Gokudera Hayato and Sonohara Anri. (Katekyo Hitman Reborn! and Durarara!)_

_12. Hibari Kyoya and Shizuo Heiwajima. (Katekyo Hitman Reborn! and Durarara!)_

_13. Kida Masaomi and Yamamoto Takeshi. (Durarara! and Katekyo Hitman Reborn!)_

_14. Uciha Sasuke and Usui Takumi (Naruto and Kaichou wa Maid-sama!)_

Hey. They're all yaoi (expect for one). What the heck. Okay, never mind.

Blame the Lucimana Bishies MEP: http: / / www. youtube. com/ watch?v=xYSQYUKadgM

And this other video: http: / / youtu. be/ 6-UefA7oSp8

I'm also sorry that this is, uh, a split second decision filler. I'm just really distracted but I still love this fanfiction and don't want to give up on it.

**Important: **I did not pop this in with yaoi (boyxboy) in mind, but you are free to think what you like.

-Rin-


	12. Catena XI

"_Will you look or not, look or not, look or not, at a guy like me? You neglect, neglect, neglect me even if you turn around."_

_- Bonamana by Super Junior_

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"Kufufu~ Now, would you mind explaining everything, Gokudera Hayato?"

This was the line that was placed to an exceedingly annoyed middle schooler, who currently had an extremely sharp and elaborate trident pointed dangerously at his neck. Gokudera was feeling a little too threatened to speak at the moment. Really.

Reborn sighed, "Mukuro, please release Gokudera. He can't talk like that, even if you wish him to."

Ah, yes, I haven't quite explained why Rokudo Mukuro was suddenly standing in the middle of a hospital room, right? Well, this is what happened…

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"Masa-nii—!"

Gokudera lurched forward, stumbling towards Kida's bed. His wet clothes clung to his body, and when he moved, flung unwanted water at poor Lambo. The kid started screaming bloody murder, and Basil immediately tried to hush him. Speaking of that, Basil had kind of been _forced_ to do the 'babysitter' job for this trip, huh?

Reborn had calmly grabbed hold of the lapels of Gokudera's jacket, throwing him to the floor. The gun was swiftly brought out, and aimed, along with a demand for answers.

Ryohei joined in, "Gokudera! I _extremely _do not get it! Explain _to the extreme_!"

No one noticed Chrome collapsing in the corner of the room, panting. She could feel it. The happy buzzing of her cells, and the way she lost control of her body despite its refusal. Ah. _Mukuro-sama…_

Tsuna also chose this horrid moment to awake, only to get a choking face full of violet mist. The disorientation muddled his brain as he flailed around. What—? Who—? Where—? His body throbbed all over, and his eyelids felt heavy. Why—?

"Oya, oya. No one told me about this little _development_, now, did they?"

A familiar, mocking voice entered, hoarse and wispy. The room cleared of the elusive mist, revealing… a pineapple—I mean, Rokudo Mukuro. His dark, but shiny hair had grown just a little longer, brushing his collar bones and falling over his troubled eyes. Despite his unknown age, he remained wearing the Kokyou Middle School uniform.

Everybody tensed at the hostile appearance, but didn't get to do anything before the aforementioned man had his trident pressed up against the fragile neck of a bomber. Such was the common life of Mafia.

Reborn sighed, and his miniscule cup of expresso comforted him with a puff of steam.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Gokudera lay on the hospital floor, a decrepit and unreadable expression on his face. An infant was straddling him, drinking _coffee_ in this situation. A lunatic, whose actual body was currently in the lowest level of a _prison, _was waiting not so patiently beside him. An overly-enthusiastic boxer was _marching _on the spot, right next to his head. The idiotic cow was _sticking his tongue out _at him. The Tenth looked on the verge of _fainting_ again. Really. What the hell?

"When I was only eight, before I had met the Tenth, I was sent on a mission…"

Tsuna blinked. Before Gokudera had met him? That was a part of his life Tsuna had almost _never _heard about. Why now?

"…to assassinate a boy my age named 'Kida Masaomi'."

Reborn watched Gokudera carefully. Eight. That would be when Gokudera had still been part of his father's famiglia. It wouldn't have been uncommon for them to send out such a strong kid out for a mission, for they were the cruel Mafia, but… eight. That would be before Kida had founded the Yellow Scarves.

"I know what you're thinking, Reborn-san," Gokudera paused to smirk wryly at the startled infant, "Why assassinate Masa-nii? He hadn't caused any trouble at that time, yet. I didn't know. I _still _don't know. However, my father… he knew. The Sky Arcobaleno…"

Basil's eyes widened at the last three words.

"…I saw her. I saw Luche and my father conversing the other day. It was unnerving, how they kept shooting looks at me."

Reborn resisted the urge to shoot the middle schooler. The boy was initiating slander at the Arcobaleno Boss. _No. This was Dame-Tsuna's Storm Guardian. Desist._

"I almost did it, you know. In that rundown countryside village, I almost killed him."

_For Father._

_Mafia Law was to be _obeyed_._

_Boss's orders were _absolute_._

_Father was _everything_._

"But Masa-nii, when I threatened him with bombs, he simply smiled. The idiot—" Gokudera chuckled, "—actually came up to me and poked at the lit bombs as if they were a toy."

Anri glanced worriedly at the slumbering Kida. Her friend had had such a past?

Yamamoto stared blankly at Gokudera. Everything he said was a jumbled mess, going through one ear in and one ear out.

_Anri. Anri. Anri. Anri. Anri. Anri._

_Kill? Protect? Who? Tsuna. Tsuna. Safe?_

_Protect. Anri. Tsuna. Kill. Sorry. Who?_

_Trapped. Trapped. What?_

Thereupon, his eyes registered the fact that Gokudera's laugh was so very _cold_. It was empty, a shell of what it could have been and just for show. His mouth was twisted in to a sour, upturned crescent. His silver-grey eyes held nothing but confusion and experience. It was like he _knew _but _didn't know_.

_Gokudera? Same? Me?_

"I was curious. I asked him why he didn't fight back. Was he playing with me? Masa-nii just blinked and replied, 'Why? A weapon is far too heavy, and this doesn't concern me, anyway.' At that point, he took my bomb away and blew it out."

"It is, you know. A weapon is far too heavy for a kid like you."

Mukuro frowned, bringing his gaze to the blond kid who was now struggling to sit up.

"Kufufu~ The main attraction has awoken."

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

_ "Class, settle down."_

_All the little ones scattered to plop down in their tiny seats. Their huge, innocent, elementary school eyes searched the front of the class. Two children stood beside their kind teacher. A cheerful, cheesy-looking blond with brown eyes, and a familiar ravenette with darker brown eyes, who was swinging a baseball bat._

_The teacher smiled, "Today, we will have one friend leaving us, and another joining us."_

_The two children waved, one signifying a goodbye and the other a hello. Their identical grins were bright and never wavering._

"_Say goodbye to Yamamoto Takeshi-kun."_

_Some girls sobbed. Some boys groaned sadly. Harima Mika was quiet, shooting Yamamoto a pleading look with an upset pout. Sonohara Anri stared down at her lap, guilty and unwilling at the same time. _

"_Say hello to Kida Masaomi-kun."_

_The class silently appraised the new kid. Most were still unhappy with Yamamoto leaving them, so avoided his gaze. Kida smiled, bowing politely. Some less affected children took the chance to smile weakly._

_The teacher continued on with the formalities, as the two boys at the front of the class checked each other out curiously. Same old, same old. However, the only thing that caught each other's attention was the bandages that wrapped around the two pairs of hands. Both of them had them. They exchanged wary looks._

_Before long, Yamamoto grinned at Kida one last time, and they both turned away. Kida walked calmly to his new seat. Yamamoto walked calmly out the door._

_The start of a new life._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

Is this story getting more complicated, or is it me? Let me know if you're confused. There's also a reason why Gokudera didn't show any signs of knowing Kida before. You shall know in the next chapter.

I hope this was okay, lol.

R&R?

-Rin-


	13. Catena XII

"_Where was the brighter day, where I could view the world without the sorrows that I've known?"_

_- Unknown._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"Says you," Gokudera scoffed.

Kida returns with a goofy grin, "Yes! Says the great, amazing, one and only Kida Masaomi!"

Mukuro arched one sculpted eyebrow elegantly. Really. His prodding gaze searches, and assesses the young boy. Aforementioned blond sits with a quiet depth on the bed, even as he jokes with Gokudera, all smiles. _Different. So different from Sawada Tsunayoshi._

Mukuro beams, intrigued. _You have kept your word. This little trip _will _be interesting._

Basil steps nearer to Kida cautiously, but with a clearly worried air. Kida allows the experienced youth to check his stomach wound. It is still very raw and deep. The bandages are already soaked with blood, sticking wetly to his bruised skin. Tsuna flinches when he notices this, but forces the set of his jaw to remain firm. Reborn scrutinizes the scene with a stony face.

"Explain."

The deceivingly happy atmosphere crashes at the low, annoyed hiss from the Namimori Middle prefect. The darkness is the first to circle in, complete with a rock-heavy emotion. Blank, unreadable poker faces are snapped on. Oh, Hibari, you brought the seriousness back _so_ gracefully.

Gracefully, like a baby giraffe on ice.

Kida sucks in a deep breath, "Hayato was compelled to stay by _curiosity_—"

The Mafioso exchanged glances. This was why a child was no good for missions. Even if he was a child prodigy, this was still unavoidable. Children were always derailed by _curiosity_, bogged down by it. It was a _weakness_, and weaknesses were to be _abolished_.

"—for a while, with me. He stumbled after me like a lost lamb every day, for about a week. We didn't do much; just hanging out and learning about each other like normal kids. I didn't mind much that he was part of the Mafia. As Hayato already said, it doesn't concern me."

Anri tilts her head in confusion. _Doesn't concern him? Wasn't, um, Gokudera-kun sent to… _assassinate _him?_

Kida smiles, "It doesn't concern me, really. Whatever decisions the Mafia make, whether to kill me or not, is their own."

Gokudera cut in, his voice laced with venom, "Then my bastard father sent people to _collect _me. They took me away, back to Italy, for punishment for _failing my mission_. Of course, I hid Masa-nii as best as I could. It shouldn't have worked, though. It was a terrible, weak hiding plan that the Mafia could've have easily broken through. I'm still not sure why the order was never fully carried out. Huh. Not like I would've known in a fucking _jail cell_, suffering from _starvation_ and _torture_. I was lucky to have survived, courtesy of being the Boss' son."

"And that is our conclusion." Kida added on.

Ryohei clutched at his head, groaning. What? What? He doesn't get anything _to the extreme_! Why did all the Mafioso things have to be so darn _hard _to comprehend?

Mukuro 'kufufu'ed, then dissolved his form in to dust. A satisfied smile lingered on his mouth, most likely full from the juicy information he had scored. He left Chrome without a word, avoiding wild swipes from a delayed Hibari. Oh no. Another form of trouble.

Sigh.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Celty Sturluson gasped. Her throat felt restricted and choked, a huge ball of tears tightening and building right over her voice box. The sweaty feeling that someone would feel if tears were spilling down their cheeks was there. Her body was paralysed, forced to lock in to motionlessness by invisible chains.

She couldn't even feel her bones.

Celty's fingers cramped, and her toes struggled to curl in pain. Her mind was scattered in fragments of thoughts. She wasn't sure where she was, what she was doing, why she was doing this or how she was doing this. A dream? A reality?

There was only one thing that was absolute here. And that was the pain that originated from her chest, licking and straining to spread. It was like a hot, burning flame. It overtook all coherent thoughts, and pulsed with life. It was bright and illuminant—pretty to look at but dangerous to be in. It reached out like thin tendrils, thickening as it went.

Celty felt it in her thighs, and even, if possible, in her missing head. If she had eyes, they would be bulging out with pure, white pain right now. Everywhere just _throbbed_, and she couldn't do anything about it.

Where? Where did this pain come from?

How? How to stop this pain?

_Shinra. Shinra-Shinra-Shinra._

_Where? Help-help-help. Please._

Celty jolted violently out of bed. Her heart was still slamming against her ribcage in fright, and her body was still covered in thick layers of cold sweat. She trembled, holding the thin white blanket against her slender frame shakily. She quickly jabbed around at her ample chest, checking to see if there were any wounds anywhere. Nothing. However, as Celty pressed her palm against her skin, she could still imagine the heart-wrenching feel of that _pain_. Pain from the _flame_ that middle schooler had.

_S-Scary ._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Basil hadn't felt this way in a long time. He had tried to live his life with a simple mindset. He had tried to skim through life's obstacles calmly. He had tried not to be swayed too much by his emotions. He had tried to execute every single mission correctly. He had tried.

But he had always known that it would end someday. The short reprieve of black and white would always be painted over in grey. Basil had understood that. Well, but it had never hurt anyone to pray that that day would never come. It didn't work, though. Life was cruel, crying for blood so much louder than Death.

So here Basil stood. His heart felt like an icy rock in his chest, freezing all emotions safe in his body. The usually light-hearted eyes were blank and assessing, the kind of eyes the Mafia needed. The way he carried himself was straight and stiff, serious in all aspects. It hurt to do this, and it took effort to keep it up, but Basil could take it. He had been trained for this.

He held back a flinch when he saw the infant hitman's lips open to talk. It was starting.

"Kida Masaomi, never forget that you are an enemy in this room. We have given you a single chance, but you have refused that reprieve. We ask you one more time, then. Will you cease this pointless war against the Dollars, as the _shogun _ of the Yellow Scarves?"

Kida never wavered, his eyes were hardened with pure determination. His answer was concise and immediate.

"No."

With a sharp snarl, many weapons were tearing through the air to reach the kid. Basil lurched forward, his feet leaving the hospital floor so suddenly that air whooshed in a vortex around him. The tan-coloured boomerang in his hand twisted, aimed so very accurately at the jugular of the blond. However, he never reached him. A well-developed bomb was pressed tightly against Kida's plump cheek, a dark tonfa choking his pale neck, a fist held threateningly near to his eye. Lambo sat solemnly in a corner. Chrome watched with patient eyes. Two swords engaged with a clang too near the little huddle for their liking.

Gokudera warned, "For the Tenth, I won't hesitate to kill you. Not even if it's you, Masa-nii."

Yamamoto and Anri's _katanas_ slid smoothly against each other, having a fight with brute force as their owners engaged in an intense glaring contest. Basil stepped back a little, perhaps out of respect or maybe fear. He tilted his head as he thought. No. It was more like something _private _was hovering in the air between them. Right, they were fighting but it seemed… just a little strange. Basil mentally shook himself. He didn't even get what he was thinking. What the hell.

He jerked when he noticed _the _Hibari Kyoya throwing himself in to the action. Some logical part of Basil realised that they were still in a hospital, and that having an actual fight here was ridiculous. The other, more Mafia-tuned part of Basil was enshrouded in bloodlust, along with a reminder that Kida was an _enemy_.

The enemy was to be _hunted._

Hunted, hunted, until he was _destroyed._

Destroyed, destroyed, until he was _dead_.

Dead, dead, until his very existence had been _erased_.

_Kill. Kill. Kill._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Authors' Note:**

I'm sorry that my update actually makes no progress in the story, and is a little strange. I'm still in the process of figuring out how exactly this war should end, and if you have any suggestions, I'll be more than glad to consider them :)

School has been hectic. So later updates :|

And wait, there's a fifteen document limit? Why?

-Rin-


	14. Catena XIII

'_So we're bound to linger on. We drink the fatal drop. Then, love until we bleed? Then, fall apart in parts?'_

_- Until We Bleed by Kleerup (w. Lykke Li)_

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"No."

With one single word, Kida set free the snarling beasts of pandemonium that hovered just barely under the Vongola's skins. Yamamoto's legs snapped forward instantly, moving without his direct command, following only pure instinct that he never knew was built in to his mind. Shigure Kintoki loyally adopted its owner's sudden bloodlust, quickly gaining a killer edge. The underlying influence of Yamamoto's hidden, Mafia-tuned side reacted so strongly that even he was almost thrown off balance, and he wasn't even able to feel an ounce of human fear when his vision went bright red with rage. Mafia rules rambled on and on in his ears, blocking out all other noises.

Basil, Gokudera and Reborn handled it much better, for they were already more or less used to the overwhelming bulk of that fury. Basil jumped in to action with a skillful leap, his boomerang barreling towards Kida with a polished and keen streak. Gokudera's bombs appeared between his ready fingers with a whoosh, and he easily slipped it against the high schooler's cheek. Reborn clicked the safety off his gun, his eyes promising an accurate and deadly shot from his sudden perch on the edge of the bed.

_Enemy. Enemy. Enemy._

_Disobedience. Subdue. Subdue. Forbidden._

_Threat. Kill. Destroy._

_Must. Protect._

Before he could actually reach the blond, however, a blur of black and white blocked his line of vision. His body automatically pulled back, and his feet hopped back a step, his back curving just a little, but just in time for a slim but sharp metal blade to slice the air just above his face. Yamamoto flinched, and the bloodlust in him receded with the surprise attack. He cautiously glided a few more steps back as he registered the true face of the situation, and he flipped Shigure Kintoki over in his hand contemplatively.

_Anri. Anri. Enemy. Enemy._

The two titles mixed together in his mind, both meaning the same thing to him. The lithe little girl darted towards him, her _katana _held out in a way meant to disembowel him. Yamamoto blocked, twisting his arm so that her sword almost spun out of her hand. Anri hissed, her face painted over in urgency as her other hand grasped for the sword. A loud screech assaulted their ears when the two slabs of sculpted metal slid tightly together, and then Yamamoto and Anri were so close, with only the two swords left in between them.

He could see every detail on Anri's heart-shaped face. Her smooth, clean skin that was just a little too pale, like she hadn't been out in the sun for a while. Her hair was tangled and still a bit damp from the rain earlier. It stuck out at odd angles and seemed awkwardly cut, most likely because Anri had done the deed herself. Her thin eyebrows were arched tensely down, furrowed in concentration and determination. Her pupils were wide and clear, protected by thin glass. They were steely mirrors of the emotions running turmoil in her heart. Her nose was small and ski slope, drawing more attention to her baby-pink, rosebud lips.

Yamamoto's breath caught in his throat. _Angelic. Extraterrestrial. Fascinating. Stunning. _A jumble of words crashed to a stop in his mind, almost like a short circuit. His sword grew just a bit slack in his hand, as one single word resounded in his ears: _beautiful_.

All too soon, he was snapped out of his daydream by the very person he was thinking of. Saika came rushing at him, reminding him once again that Anri was no longer the little girl he had loved so much. She was now grown-up and strong, and his _enemy_.

_Focus. Focus. Focus._

_Anri. Enemy. Not friend._

_Don't. Love._

_Hate. Hate. Hate. Kill._

_Can't?_

"Stop!"

The Vongola in the room all froze, bound by the words of their boss. Hibari bit back a snarl, furious at having been stopped. Gokudera whipped around, his eyes blazing. Ryohei clenched and unclenched a fist, releasing some built-up adrenaline. Basil gripped his boomerang, his legs burning at being locked in to position too quickly. Chrome jerked harshly at the command, and Lambo clung tightly to the female. Reborn eyed the bedridden brunette silently.

Tsuna panted, breathless with the force of that single word. Tears of pain gathered in the rims of those confused brown eyes.

"I don't know what _you guys _are thinking, but _I _don't know what to think right now. No one is going to kill anybody before I actually figure out the situation, understood?" Tsuna ordered.

The Vongola looked uneasily at each other, unsure of what exactly to do. Follow the Decimo's orders? Continue to attack? Ryohei's eyes unconsciously strayed towards Basil, seeking instruction. Basil could feel his façade slipping along, proportional to the feeling of his uncertainty growing, and he watched the eldest in the room for cues on what to do next.

Reborn eyed his frazzled pupil, and seemed to turn the options over in his head for a moment. He then takes a second look at the teary eyes of the Vongola Decimo, and huffs a disappointed sigh. The safety on his gun clicks back, and warps lazily back in to trusty Leon, who sticks out his tongue at the nervous group. The disciplinary committee president slammed a tonfa in to a wall, and then stomped out. Not allowed to bite the enemies to death, and Sawada Tsunayoshi was too weak to provide a challenge. _Herbivores._

Basil nods, his muscles unlocking stiffly.

"Come, Lambo," he whispers, his usual endearing smile shining through once again.

The somber, fearful child totters over to Basil silently. Lambo didn't understand. Lambo couldn't understand. No, Lambo _refused _to understand. This part of his world, he didn't _want _to understand. _No more._

Slowly, but steadily, everybody files out of the room, leaving the two original patients to absorb the true reality what had just happened.

"_Hiiiiiiiiee_!"

"Oh, shit, what the _hell _did I just _do_?"

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Anri and Yamamoto stepped out of the hospital doors at the same time. Cold air rushed out from behind them, chilling their still lightly damp clothes once again, and spreading the thick medicinal smell. Awkward, heavy silence hovered in the emptiness between them.

Anri wasn't sure if she should be grateful or disappointed for the quiet. After their abrupt meeting, followed by suddenly being thrown in to a war, she wasn't very sure what to say to Yamamoto. Anri lifted one sweaty palm, and stared at it. This was the hand that had executed her every decision up until now.

When she had to protect, it had done it for her.

When she had to kill, it had done it for her.

When she had been lonely and undecided, it had been there for her.

When she stood before the ethereal sword Saika, it had taken the hilt for her.

She wielded Saika with this very hand.

Her hand.

Anri muttered something incoherent under her breath, fisted her hand tiredly and letting it fall to her side. This power. She both hated and needed it. It was a despicable and dangerous power, one that had chosen her at the worst moment in her life. It was a power that she wasn't allowed to give up. It was a power that marked her as a monster. A parasite. It was a power that showed both her strength and weakness, but she still needed it.

Anri accepted all these the day she had gotten it. She understood that without it, Sonohara Anri would be just a normal, _weak _girl, with no sense of adventure. A normal human being was useless in emergency situations, and rendered unable to protect their friends. Anri didn't want to be that sort of person. She wanted to be able to _do something_. She didn't want her friends to fight it out without her. So she would keep Saika.

With Saika, she wouldn't have to feel anymore.

Saika would do it for her.

"Anri."

Anri blinked, her footsteps halting when she was pulled out of her thoughts and noticed that Yamamoto had stopped a few paces behind. Yamamoto was leaning against the railing lining the side of the road, a troubled look on his face, and a strong hand tugging at the roots of his short black hair.

"Hey, Anri…" he hesitated to raise the question, his eyes fixed on the floor, "Won't you stop fighting? Quit this war?"

Anri thought about it for a while. Would she? If it meant that Kida would be left to handle the war on his own?

Her answer was quick and decisive.

"No."

Yamamoto smiled, "I figured."

The silence ensued once again, and Anri started to lose concentration. Her eyes drifted off, memorizing the curves of the clouds, the lines of the waves in the far off beach. When she turned back to Yamamoto again, she was taken back at the deep bow he had thrown himself in to.

_No. No. Wrong. _She wanted to say.

"Yamamoto-kun…?" She said instead.

"I'm sorry I came back, to Ikebukuro. I'm sorry you had to remember again. I'm sorry for back then, when you had to… k-kill _them _for me. I'm sorry for everything, so please, Anri, don't get further involved in this damned war." Yamamoto rushed out, not once looking up.

Anri cocked her head to a side, "Remember?"

Yamamoto's hair shifted when he pushed himself further down.

_Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. _

The wind direction shifted, and a light breeze rustled their now completely dry clothes. Before Anri even voiced her answer, she already knew exactly where she stood.

"Yamamoto-kun, that sort of thing… I never forgot it. Blood, pain, sweat and tears. My parents. I will never forget them."

That's right. Every night, Anri remembered. The nightmare plagued her. She would suffer, she would never be the same, but that sort of thing… Anri couldn't bring herself to regret it either.

"That's right, I will never forget it, but Yamamoto-kun, that doesn't make it alright for me to escape now and leave Kida-kun alone. I'm sure your friends are very precious to you, so you have to understand how precious mine are to me. I don't know Mafia are, but they hurt Kida-kun, and I'm sorry, but I _cannot _forgive them for it, not just now."

Anri nods, "So, Yamamoto-kun, if that is what it takes to protect Kida-kun, even if he is the _shogun _of a colour gang, I _will _fight you. Even if it means in the end, you will have to… die."

Yamamoto's knees suddenly buckle, causing Anri to start forward in worry. However, Yamamoto just starts… _laughing_. It starts as a light huff, then a series of chuckles, followed by full-blown laughter. Anri isn't sure what to think when she sees her ex-best friend sitting in the middle of the pavement at sunset, laughing his head off. Yamamoto continues for a while, until even tears start making their appearance. His laughter gradually turns in to a distinct keening sound, and then tapers in to soft sobs and snivels. Tears stream unashamedly down his strong jaw. He draws his knees up to his chest, and just sits there for a few minutes, his face buried in to his knees.

"Hey, Anri?"

"Yes, Yamamoto-kun?"

"Before, I really, really loved you."

Anri has a little of a delayed reaction, and when she does, her cheeks brighten to a bright rosy-red. Her rosebud lips slacken from their tight purse and jut out adorably in shock.

"You were strong, smart and beautiful. What was not to like? I was just an elementary school kid, then. It was more or less expected."

"E-Eh? Uh, Y-Yamamoto-kun…?"

Yamamoto raises his head, and yanks himself up with the support of the railing, his usual grin on his face.

He shrugs his Shigure Kintoki back on to shoulder properly and continued, "It's the same for me, you know. If the Yellow Scarves pose danger to my friends, I will not hesitate to hurt you, either."

He shoots her one last smile, but this one seems more sincere and sad than the rest.

"Good bye. Thank you."

Subsequently, Yamamoto Takeshi turns away from his ex-best friend, and walks down that narrow pavement, and back to the hotel where he is currently staying. The smile lingers on his face, even when Anri can no longer see him anymore. His mouth moves soundlessly, creating a light scraping just above a puff of air.

"I needed to know."

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

I admit it. I procrastinated for around three weeks. This is a really late update.

What do you think? The romance is starting. It's not as good as the other parts, seeing as I have never experienced love first hand before but I'm trying my best here. Please give me critics on this aspect if you have any.

I think everybody is battling with a certain part of themselves in this. It's a welcome change for the usual one-track outlook of KHR! but also a bit stressful to keep up.

Alright, I think I spent enough time on this already. I'll try and get the next update up as soon as possible. Now to deal with my beloved homework.

-Rin-


	15. Catena XIV

'_As you walk my way, do you see my face? Sad behind a smile, fake it for a while; tell me what should I do?'_

_- Closer to You by Adelitas Way_

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Nobody spoke while filing out of that peach-painted hospital room. Everybody was quietly affected by this situation. It was probably the first time that everything was much more complicated, and feelings were so very important. A lot of reflective thinking was needed this time round. No breezing through with shallow, simple emotions and decisions.

Once everybody was out of sight, Gokudera instinctively took off, his sneakers squeaking loudly against the clean marble floors. Nurses and doctors he raced past shot him disapproving and shocked looks, some even bothering to shriek at him. He ignored them all, concentrating only on his palpating heartbeats as he ran. The Mafioso wasn't sure exactly _what _this feeling meant, or was. This screaming need to _escape, escape, escape; _to _run_.

Gokudera kept pushing his strangely sluggish legs to _move_, not even giving the lift a second look before thumping down the staircase. His silver bangs kept whipping in to his similarly coloured eyes, occasionally lodging themselves between his pursed lips. He paid all these no mind, finally breaking out of the hospital, throwing himself out the back doors. Gokudera clumsily tripped over his undone shoelaces, before catching himself and further speeding up. He continued to race down the uneven pavement with blank eyes.

The strong wind that danced past him, caressing his high cheekbones was weirdly comforting. It felt like a mother he never truly had, embracing him as he raced for more freedom. If he had been thinking calmly, he would've scoffed at the cheesy lines but he didn't. Gokudera forced his legs to move even _faster_, until the slow burning ache started to become too much and the poor boy stumbled tiredly.

Gokudera had arrived unknowingly at a peaceful river bank. Sweat poured down his back, drenching his hoodie. He blearily took a look at his surroundings and upon reading a street sign, was shocked to find that he had run quite an amazing distance, even for a fit guy such as him. A low chuckle bubbled out of his throat at the pure idiocy of his actions. _What was thinking? He was running in a marathon or something?_

Gokudera plopped himself down on the damp grass, mindless of future grass stains on his jeans. His breath came hard and heavy in pants, another indication of crazy exertion.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"_Masa-nii, surroundings are clear. Let's go!"_

_Little Hayato grabbed hold of Kida's larger hand, tugging him insistently down the dark alley. They swiftly darted in to the warehouse, and hid themselves behind the smelly hay stacks. Hayato sniffed lightly, checking for the scent of any possible bombs. Kida cautiously watched for any possible ambushes._

_Hayato informed him hurriedly, "We'll try and get out in to a more crowded area. After that, let's see if we can get a ride out of the countryside."_

_Kida flicked his dark gaze to properly look at this little boy, who was so earnestly helping worthless him. _I'm not worth it, Hayato, _Kida felt like saying. He didn't._

_Instead, he said, "No."_

"_Okay, they don't seem to hav—_what?_" Hayato hissed sharply. "What the hell do you mean _no_?"_

_Kida leveled Hayato with a cool gaze, "I can't let you do all that for me. If you go back now, they won't kill you because you're the boss' son. I don't know why they want _me_, but I can't let you get dragged in any further."_

"_You're saying this after all I've done already? You want to back out _now_?" Hayato snapped._

_Kida shook his head, "That's not it, Hayato. I don't plan to die _just _yet,"—Kida smirked—"I'll survive, but you must go."_

"_Heck _no_, Masa-nii!" Hayato protested._

_Kida 'psh'ed at the boy, "It's not up for discussion. Go."_

"_B-But… why?" Hayato demanded._

_There was no reply for a while, and Hayato nervously checked for any incoming attacks. Nada. He returned his attention to Kida, who slowly opened his mouth to speak._

_He whispered, "I can't tie you down."_

_Then the elder boy was gone, running furiously out of the warehouse. Hayato gaped at the leaving shadow, shell-shocked. It was all he managed to digest before a scratchy, unpleasant voice came creepily close to his ear._

"_The caged bird has been caught~"_

_The world went black._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Gokudera sighed, running a cold hand over his heated forehead. A glistening sheen of sweat coated the back of his hand. He has never understood those words, and most likely never would.

_That's Masa-nii for you._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

'_Why is your mood up, down; different every day?'_

_- Up and Down by SHINee_

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Kida stared at the pale hands that lay clammily in his lap. His dark, brooding eyes traveled to his thinner-than-usual wrist and followed the transparent tube from the end where it poked in to his flesh to the top where it dripped thick liquid in to a flimsy bag. The consistent beeping of the machine beside his bed soothed him, helping him regulate his breathing according to the thudding of his heart.

The high schooler was clothed in polka-dotted white pajamas, courtesy of the most _creative _hospital in the world. If Kida was his normal self, he would have grinned and voiced this sarcastic opinion. However, he wasn't. Instead, Kida had been reduced to a subdued, more thoughtful version of himself.

He sighed, irritated at his own solemnness as he fell back on those stiff pillows. _Annoying. Annoying. Just plain _annoying_. Stupid Dollars, I hate you for creating all this mess. _Annoying_._

Kida muttered incoherently, slamming another pillow over his face to block out the luminous light. He immediately choked, completely disgusted at the heavy medicinal smell embedded in the cloth. _Remind me to never do that again, _he berated himself.

"Hiiiieee!" A high pitched shriek pierced the air.

Kida jumped, wildly looking around for the source. He found none, and furrowed his eyebrows, confused. There was a loud thud, followed by some scuffling sounds, and then another crash, and then the curtain tore to the ground. Kida blanched, beyond shocked as he flinched away from the site of danger right beside his bed. A little struggling ensued, and an exaggerated gasp later, a mop of tangled brown hair popped out from beneath the crumpled white.

Kida stuttered, "V-Vongola?"

"Please don't k-kill me!" Vongola Decimo screeched.

The poor boy scuttled away, still all scrunched up among the destroyed curtain. He ended up crashing his face in to a wall, and nearly tipping over another vase of flowers. He wisely stopped, and sat there cowering.

Kida sweat-dropped, utterly confused, "Uh… I'm not going to kill you."

_Well, at least not right now. _When the brunette still looked like he didn't really believe the blonde, Kida sighed, ruffling a hand through his hair and introducing him.

"I'm Kida Masaomi. You?"

"S-Sawada Tsunayoshi."

_This scaredy-cat thing was an act, right? _Kida scrutinized Tsunayoshi while he failed in trying to free himself from the Horrid Monster that was Mr. Curtain. A girly scream rang through the air when Tsunayoshi slipped, doing some complicated and painful twist as he flipped over, more tangled up than before.

_Probably not. _

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

I was going to write a little longer, but my writing mood was lost when my mother came and scolded me for no apparent reason. Pshhh.

I'm sorry for the late update, as always, but I didn't really feel like writing over the week. However, I happened to watch a certain YouTube video and BANG, inspiration is here. Haha. So if you want me to write more, and you happen to love editing, maybe edit a DRRR!/KHR! crossover video for me? :)

R&R?

[Rin]


	16. Catena XV

'_Why did you change? Why did you bend and break?'_

_- Structure by Innerpartysystem_

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

Mikado stepped slowly and deliberately across the black and white traffic crossing. His hands were shoved carelessly in to his pockets, his satchel looped carelessly around his wrist. The high schooler was pondering, deep and hard. He didn't even bother to pay attention to the small talk passerbys were making or observe simple nature. Mikado just let his feet take him down his usual way home, and allowed his mind to wander.

_Kida-kun wasn't in school today._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"Dame-Tsuna."

A swift, roundhouse kick was delivered to the writhing white lump on the floor. A muffled howl came from within, and a thin arm popped out from the mess, followed by a shaking leg. Finally, the familiar mop of brown hair resurfaced, revealing clear caramel eyes. With a few more hits from Reborn, Tsunayoshi fell out of the ball of curtains.

Kida cocked an eyebrow, but wisely decided to ignore them. A shiver went up his spine when the infant turned a watchful eye to him, and Kida hurriedly grabbed a book. _Pretend he's not there. Pretend he's not there._

Reborn quietly turned back to Tsunayoshi, "Stupid Tsuna. Don't get all chummy with the enemy."

"_What_? When did I do that?" Tsunayoshi hissed, like a riled up cat.

Reborn seriously told him, "You gave him your name."

"He gave me _his_. It was only polite!" Tsunayoshi defended.

Reborn smacked him, "Dame-Tsuna. There's no such thing as 'politeness' in the Mafia world."

_No such thing as 'politeness' in the Mafia world._

_In the _Mafia _world._

Kida sat up a bit straighter. Those words rung true in his ears. That's right. How could he have forgotten? They were _Mafia_. Mafioso weren't to be _trusted_.

The Mafia was the _enemy._

The enemy was to be _killed_.

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"Hello, Dollars."

Mikado tensed, spinning around immediately. His inky-blue eyes scanned his surroundings wildly, realizing too late that he had trapped himself in a narrow alley. _Where…? _Gloomy emptiness met him, only the smell of fish wafting by. Mikado relaxed a bit. _Maybe I was just imagining it…_

"Kufufu, where are you looking at?" A breath ghosted across the shell of his ear.

Mikado flinched away, stumbling in to the opposite wall. A suspicious-looking man stood before him, a gleaming trident in hand. His violet-coloured hair had a dark sheen in the setting sun, and his bangs cast a shadow that hid his eyes. His wide smirk, however, was visible to all.

He wore a school uniform not from this area: a high-collared green blazer and pants, paired with an army-like undershirt. Mikado frowned. _Who are you?_

"You need not know my name, Dollars' founder," The man spoke.

Mikado's eyes widened. Was he a mind reader? He called him the 'Dollars' founder'… Was he from a rival colour gang?

The man tipped back his head, revealing heterochromatic eyes. The crimson mocked him for his innocence, and the cobalt sneered at his naivety. _You're only a brat. What can you hope to achieve? _They seemed to say. Mikado shuddered, pressing himself further against the wall.

"Kufufu… Interesting…"

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

The sharp trill of a cellphone brought Kida back to reality, and a wave of uneasiness immediately threatened to pull Kida under again. The blond swayed, hit by a bout of dizziness right after. _What the…?_

Tsunayoshi glanced worriedly at the elder boy, but Kida hurriedly grasped the bedframe for support and shot him a weak smile. Reborn made no comment at this exchange. Kida then proceeded to grapple around for his ringing cellphone, clumsily snapping it open and smashing it against his ear.

"_What_?" He demanded, vaguely irritated.

A gurgling, choking sound came from the device, "Boss!—cough—It's the B-Blue—cough—Blue Squares!"

Kida didn't even have time to react before static erupted and the call was cut clean off. His hand fell limply in to his lap, and his phone clattered loudly on to the floor. Tsunayoshi started, flinching at the sudden noise. Reborn sat up a bit straighter, sensing the sudden tension in the air.

_No… They couldn't, could they? They couldn't be back…_

_No, no, no, no, no! Those bastards who hurt Saki, they couldn't, could they?_

A single, quiet voice answered the boy's frantic thoughts: _They have._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"Well, Ryuugamine Mikado—"

Mikado frowned at the mention of his name, and the violet-haired man smirked in response.

His thin lips moved slyly, "It seems like the purgation of the weak has _started_."

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

Mikado appears. It suddenly occurred to me that I wasn't sure what Mikado calls Kida. I mean, he called him Kida-kun all the way, until the last episode where he said 'Masaomi'. I don't read the manga, and am only halfway through the light novel translations, so I only have the anime to go by.

I'm also aware that the fanfiction is slowly becoming less focused on the YamaAnri relationship, but don't worry, I haven't forgotten about them.

I'm so glad I managed to get this out today! School restarts tomorrow, and I probably won't update for another three weeks again so here's a little compensation, haha.

R&R?

[Rin]


	17. Catena XV: Parte II

"_I am not a pawn… I am the king!"_

_- Unknown._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

"If it isn't Rokudo Mukuro-kun and Ryuugamine Mikado-kun, mm?" Izaya called pleasantly from the doorway of the alley.

The violet-haired man, now identified as 'Rokudo Mukuro', snickered. He took a step back from the cornered Mikado, twirling his trident casually with one hand. "Kufufu~ If it isn't Orihara Izaya, famed informant of Ikebukuro and Shinjuku."

Mikado stood stiffly against the moldy wall. His clammy fingers unconsciously tightened around his bag strap, forgotten in the moment of danger. A tornado of miscellaneous speculations and assumptions raged within him. If you looked closely in to those ocean-blue Bambi eyes of his, you might be able to tell. Otherwise, to another passerby, Mikado would just look like a strangely silent student.

However, Mikado himself knew this wasn't so. A droplet of sweat slicked down the back of his neck and soaked through the thick cloth of his blazer. He felt the queer urge to tug at his necktie all of a sudden, but hurried to refrain from doing so. Despite his young age and limited experiences, the adrenaline gushing through his veins informed him quite clearly that these two men before him posed a certain, sinister danger he had to assess very carefully.

Mukuro stood with a certain fluidity and ease parallel to Mikado, gripping his trident (_honestly_, Mikado wondered, _is that a stage prop?_) lightly with a leather gloved hand. Per contra, though, if you looked closer at the man with an experienced eye, you would notice the tight lines of tension in his shoulders and the way Mukuro had properly spread his feet apart so as to attain the steadiest possible footing in view of a fight.

Izaya, too, stood nonchalantly in the light of the doorway. His slender spine was arched slightly but noticeably gracefully and this was enhanced by the form-fitting fur coat. His dark-red eyes were silted slyly like a cat's own pair. Again, if you looked closer at the supposedly petite man, you would notice that his hand was already reaching cautiously in to a pocket for his customary flick blade.

The thing that the two already similar men had in common was their smirk. It flitted around the tight edges of their mouths, taunting each other with just enough amounts of arrogance. _Come on, boy. Fight me if you can, boy. _

"Kufufu~ Well then, it was pleasant doing business with you, Orihara Izaya," Mukuro murmured, his voice layered with a noticeable hint of mock. He cocked his head to the side in a final arrogant gesture before dissipating in to fumes of dark mist.

Mikado gaped at the recently vacated space.

"I would advise you to close that mouth of yours, Mikado-kun, before any flies decide to enter!" Izaya informed him amusedly.

Mikado jumped, stumbling to regain his senses. "A-ah, thank you very much, Orihara-san…"

"Mm-mm, couldn't let the pawns mess around on their own, could I?" Izaya easily waved the gratitude away.

Mikado paused in the dusting off of his uniform, "Eh? Pardon?"

"I'll be seeing you, then, Ryuugamine Mi-ka-do!" The man sung out cheerily, before disappearing around the alley corner.

Poor Mikado was left in the dust of the two queer men who had mysteriously materialised and subsequently left. He could barely replay the entire series of events without his brain going in to a second overload from trying to figure out the underlying motives. In the end, Mikado just resigned himself to sighing and pushing these memories to the back of his mind for future reference. Would he ever understand the words exchanged between the two men?

_No_, the answer was inevitable, _until it is too late._

**-insertlinebreakhere-**

**Author's Note:**

I shamelessly reappear after like three months of silence. I was originally going to make this in to a new chapter but the next part doesn't really match with this chunk here so I hope it's alright that I'm putting it up as part two of chapter fifteen! I had to read through this fanfiction about three times before I could continue this, I tell you. I was completely dead of inspiration.

I have some now but I honestly have no idea how long it'll last for ._. Sigh, what woe ails me. Really sorry for the disappearance!

Catena XVI will be up shortly!

[Rin]


	18. Now up for adoption!

This is not an update.

Firstly, I am sorry. I could give you guys a million reasons why I can no longer continue this story and how it is not in actuality my fault but they would all be nothing more than excuses and lies. I did not keep a promise I made or adhere to the deadlines I set for myself. I have realised this a long time ago but chose to ignore it for hope of maybe getting more inspiration and restarting this story. At this moment in time, I have considered my future and it is really not likely. I will be getting busier in the future as I grow older and gain more responsibilities in school, with friends and with family. My online life has taken a sharp downturn in the past year and I do not find in myself to energy nor time to keep it up any longer. I will be taking a more of an observer point of view in most of my web accounts (not only FF).

Secondly, I actually do like this story. As such, I am putting it **up for** **adoption. **I haven't really thought much further for this story so if you are interested in adopting this, you're pretty much free to do whatever you want with it. Of course, I would like if you do take the responsibility to ensure that it is actually continued and keep the depth of the story and not turn it in to a transparent love story. If you have any queries, you can ask me.

Please mention in a review if you would like to adopt this.

Thank you.

-Rin.


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